Sam_adeniran_-_asn_top_-_lask_-_2025_preseason_vs_hajduk
Preseason update

Euro preseason notes: Reyna, Wiley, Lund, & Campbell updates, plus a look at results

ASN's Brian Sciaretta breaks down preseason in Europe with player movement and results to talk about. There is good news, such as Sam Adeniran's brace to bad news, such as a big injury setback to John Brooks. 
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
July 22, 2025
10:55 AM

THE EUROPEAN PRESEASON is well underway in most leagues while a few places such as Denmark have already begun their campaign. Meanwhile, the transfer window is wide open with several American players in the mix for moves.

Whether it is on the field or trying to make moves, there is a lot to cover with Americans abroad right now.

 

Reyna to Parma?

 

One of the big stories to break recently was the news that Parma was after American midfielder Gio Reyna. This was reported by multiple media and Fabrizio Romano updated that to say that now Reyna and Parma have agreed to terms, but Borussia Dortmund and Parma are still negotiating a transfer price with Parma reportedly offering $6 million and Dortmund wanting $10 million.



Either way, the value between what Dortmund expected to get for Reyna four years ago and what they are settling for now is staggering. It’s very likely that Reyna will be sold for less than Patrick Agyemang at Derby County.

Given that Reyna has played so little over the past four years, it is impossible to say yet if this is a good move. Has his foot speed diminished? Is he still hampered by injuries?

For Reyna, it’s more important that he plays than where he plays. Parma was a bottom-third Serie A team last season and could be at the same level this season. Serie A isn’t the fastest league, but it might be the most intense. It won’t take long to see if Reyna is a good fit for Parma or in Serie A.

If it doesn’t work out, he might have a tough time making the World Cup team.

 

Campbell transfers to West Bromwich

 

CF Montreal sold American central defender George Campbell to West Bromwich Albion in the Championship last week. The move was inexpensive at €1.3 million. That likely reflects that West Brom do not see him as a starter.

Still, it’s a nice move for Campbell who was stuck on a bad Montreal team after he began his career with Atlanta (who traded him for around $600 GAM in two years). It gives him a chance to play for a Championship team who could push for promotion.

Even if Campbell is not a regular starter, the Championship season is very long with 46 games and two cup competitions. There are a lot of minutes to go around and teams need big rosters.

 

Elsewhere in the Championship

 

Josh Sargent has begun the preseason with Norwich despite ongoing transfer rumors that have linked him to newly-promoted Premier League team Burnley as well as Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. Burnley might pay more now, but they are heavily favored to be relegated again at the end of this season. Wolfsburg, meanwhile, has been in the Bundesliga for decades.

It doesn’t seem as if anything is imminent as Sargent was the captain for Norwich’s preseason opener, which ended a 1-1 draw with Belgian club SV Zulte Waregem. Sargent didn’t score but he came close twice. A first half chance was saved and a second half goal was called back for being offside.

Expect the transfer rumors to continue with more reports this week or next.

Middlesbrough played Mannsfield Town to a 3-3 draw over the weekend with Adian Morris starting for Middlesbrough and Dom Dwyer starting for Mansfield Town. Morris played 63 minutes and left with Boro up 3-1.

It should be a big season for Morris if he can stay healthy. Boro should be in a promotional race and Morris is a big part of their midfield.

 

Wiley returns to Watford

 

In a logical move, young American left back Caleb Wiley will return to Watford for another loan from his parent club, Chelsea, This will run through the 2025/26 Championship season. Wiley started last season with a loan to Strasbourg in France before having it terminated and then loaned to Watford, where he played down the stretch and performed well.



Wiley, 21, needs consistent minutes and Watford will give him that. By all accounts, the club was happy with him last season and made no secret that it wanted to bring him back for the coming season.

 

Lund on the move?

 

A Sky report surfaced that said newly promoted Bundesliga team FC Koln are having conversations with out-of-favor USMNT left back Kristoffer Lund who has been with Palermo the past two seasons (coming up short in the promotional playoffs each time). Last season, he wasn’t always a clear starter in the second half the season.

At this point, it might be a good idea for Lund to see a change in scenery as his time in Serie B started off well but tapered off.



The big question about Koln is that they are only now coming up from the 2.Bundesliga and might need more defensive-minded fullbacks. Lund likes to get forward.

As for the national team, it seems unlikely for Lund under Pochettino. After Antonee Robinson, there is Max Arfsten, John Tolken, and Caleb Wiley all in the mix.

 

Big Sam with Brace in friendly

 

Austrian Bundesliga club LASK defeated Hajduk Split 2-1 in a friendly over the weekend and three Americans started. Samuel Adeniran scored both goals for LASK with George Bello also starting. Rokas Pukstas started for Hajduk Split.

Bello has been the subject of some transfer rumors to places in Scotland, England, and Belgium but nothing recent. He’s been at LASK for two seasons and his time there has reset his career. But he might be looking for something else.

Pukstas had a tough season in 2024/25 in Croatia but might be set for a rebound as Gennaro Gattuso is no longer the coach.

Adeniran, meanwhile, looks likely to stay at LASK and try to become a regular starter. Scoring two goals in this game obviously helps.

 

Yanks feature in Eintracht Frankfurt USA tour

 

Eintracht Frankfurt is coming to the USA for a preseason tour where they will face Aston Villa on July 26, Louisville City on July 30, and the Philadelphia Union on August 2.

Four Americans are on the roster. Former USMNT fullback Timmy Chandler, Paxten Aaronson, 2007-born youngster Steven Dills, and German-American right back Nene Brown who is playing for Germany’s U-21 team.



It’s a great opportunity for Dills to possibly improve his stock as a young player, but it also helps the club to bring Americans to a tour of the USA.

Paxten Aaronson’s return to face the Philadelphia Union will be a highlight.

 

Other notes

 

Ricardo Pepi has been training and playing for PSV in preseason, but the minutes are not significant yet as the club is bringing him back slowly. Still, it’s very encouraging news to see him back.

Auston Trusty started for Celtic in a 4-0 win over Newcastle United in a friendly. Cameron Carter-Vickers is out for Celtic. For Trusty, it will be worth following to see if he is back given that he wasn’t playing much towards the end of last season.

Taylor Booth has started the last two preseason games for FC Twente, which is also a very positive sign after injuries derailed his progress last season after he returned form playing in the Olympics. He transferred to Twente from Utrecht midseason but couldn’t play much due to injuries.

Tanner Tessmann started for Lyon in its preseason opener on Saturday, a 1-0 win over FC Villefranche. One good note is that Tessmann is wearing #6 as opposed to #15, which seems to indicate a better standing within the team.

Like Adian Morris, Tessmann has a big opportunity this season. Both players are on the bubble of the national team and could move into a better standing with a strong start to the season. There still is a need for more physical central midfielders.

In some bad news, John Brooks returned to Hertha BSC for preseason after missing all of last season with a serious leg injury. Unfortunately, it looks as if Brooks as suffered another injury that could force him to miss significant time. With two consecutive serious injuries to a player who is now over 30, it becomes questionable how much longer he will continue.

 

Danish and Polish seasons open

 

The Polish Ekstraklasa opened over the weekend with former Philadelphia Union defensive midfielder Leon Flach starting for Jagiellonia Bialystok in an ugly 4-0 loss at home to Termalica. Jagiellonia Bialystok was one of the top teams in the league last season but had a terrible preseason and now a bad start to the season. They are also in Conference League qualifiers as well.

The Danish Superliga opened over the weekend with a few Americans involved.

Matthew Hoppe played the final 13 minutes for SonderjyskE in a 1-1 draw with AGF Aarhus. Hoppe desperately needs minutes to revive a stalled career. U.S. U-20 goalkeeper Gavin Beavers was the backup for Brondby in a 3-0 win over Silkeborg.

It was bad news for Jonathan Amon who subbed into Vejle Boldklub’s 1-1 draw with Randers in the 54th minute but had to be removed in the 80th due to injury.

Meanwhile, Milan Illoski was not back yet for Nordsjaelland after his loan to San Diego was terminated.

 

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