Reyna's Long European Chapter Comes to a Close

• North Jersey Herald News, Thursday, January 25, 2007 3:28 PM

Ives Galarcep of the North Jersey Herald News takes a look back at the career of Claudio Reyna, which has now come full-circle now that the former U.S. national team captain has decided to return to North Jersey to be reunited with New York Reed Bulls coach Bruce Arena, the man who helped jump-start his career.

After winning the NCAA title with Arena at UVA, and representing his country at both the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona and the 1994 World Cup in the U.S. (he didn't play due to injury), Reyna headed to Europe and never looked back. He signed with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany in 1995, but left in '97 after failing to break into the first team, where Reyna established himself in the small German town of Wolfsburg, becoming the team's midfield general, and later, its captain. After two seasons, Reyna joined Scottish giant Glasgow Rangers in 1999, where he won the league title twice and the Scottish FA Cup once. In 2001, he switched to Sunderland in England for a U.S. record $6.5 million transfer. There, he endured two frustrating seasons which were cut short by injury. Finally, in 2003, Reyna moved to Manchester City for $3.9 million, where remained for a total of three and a half seasons before yesterday announcing his return home to be part of the NY Red Bulls. He made 112 appearances with U.S. national team, appearing on the U.S. roster for the last four World Cups.

With a $1 million contract-a big pay cut for the 33-year old veteran-, Reyna will be taking one of the Red Bulls' two designated player slots. Where the second one goes, nobody knows, especially since Real Madrid misfit Ronaldo looks set to sew up his transfer to Italian giant AC Milan.

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