THE GERMAN SEASON is over, and it is hard to say it was a good season in the Bundesliga for American players compared with recent seasons. It used to be the home for many top U.S. national team players but that is not the case right now. The upside, however, is that the 2.Bundesliga fared better for younger players.

It’s easy to see why. This past year, Brenden Aaronson and Jordan Pefok both left for other countries. Kevin Pardes essentially suffered a lost season due to injuries. Lennard Maloney moved within the league from a team where he played to a team where he didn’t and Gio Reyna remained in limbo at Borussia Dortmund.

What’s left is a far decreased American footprint in the league.

Here are some thoughts on the American players in Germany, how their 2024/25 seasons went, and looking ahead to 2025/26.

Americans in the Bundesliga

Joe Scally

Borussia Monchengladbach, right back

2024/25 season thoughts: Overall, it was a good season for Scally even if he struggled a little bit down the stretch. In just the season before, there were questions in the media that Borussia Monchengladbach was ready to move on from him. But he ended the 2023/24 season playing well and continued that into this season where he was mostly consistent and dependable. He now has at least 2200 minutes in each of his last three Bundesliga seasons with last year being the highest total of his career at 2586. He’s not an explosive fullback that gets involved offensively, but he makes very few mistakes.

2025/26 season lookahead: For Scally, it is just about continuing to be dependable and trustworthy. He is the most prominent American in the Bundesliga currently. If he can add a little more offensive production and create danger moving forward, he will be very good.

Gio Reyna

Borussia Dortmund, attacking midfielder

2024/25 season thoughts: We know it was another miserable and frustrating season for Reyna as he was limited to just 341 Bundesliga minutes this past season. Over the last four seasons, he has played just 1894 minutes in league play for Borussia Dortmund and one half-season at Nottingham Forest. In a few months he will turn 23 and no longer has the benefit of being a “young player” that coaches feel motivated to play because of their youth. Nothing is trending well for Reyna now and Borussia Dortmund have told him to look for a new club. But in doing so, BVB has created a dilemma in that his value has been diminished due to his lack of playing time, but Dortmund still will want a lot of money for him. Bottom line about this season, Reyna has played insufficient minutes, seen his value diminished, and is in a tough situation to escape.

2025/26 season lookahead: Reyna just needs to find someplace where he can play regularly. Ideally, he needs one season where he surpasses his last four seasons combined in terms of minutes played. We can’t lose sight of the fact Reyna is talented but if he is not playing, it’s hard to gauge his reliability or if he can get back on track. The questions this summer is which teams are willing to pay money for him, what is the pathway for playing time at these clubs, and what is the minimum price Dortmund will accept?

John Tolkin

Holstein Kiel, left back

2024/25 season thoughts: The left back from New Jersey joined Holstein Kiel in January after a long tenure with the New York Red Bulls. With the move, he immediately entered a relegation battle. The good news is that he played well and quickly adjusted to the Bundesliga. He was ready for that level. The bad news, however, is that he suffered two minor injuries which prevented him from playing in key games. Unfortunately, he was not able to do enough to keep Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga and the team was relegated.

2025/26 season lookahead: There were rumors that Holstein Kiel would look to sell Tolkin if the club was relegated since he was the club’s most expensive signing. But that might not be the case anymore. Days after it sealed relegation and before the final game of the season against Borussia Dortmund, Holstein Kiel made Tolkin available to the American media along with the clubs sporting director. Both talked about the coming 2.Bundesliga season, the upcoming offseason camp in Minnesota, and Tolkin expressed excitement about helping the club return to the top fight immediately. Anything is possible in this business, but Holstein Kiel is giving the impression Tolkin is here to stay.

With the Red Bulls, Tolkin always played well north of 2000 minutes, and he needs to do that now with Holstein Kiel in his first full season. It was surprising that Tolkin was not called up to the USMNT to start the summer (in fact, his absence was the most surprising for me), but he remains a candidate to be Antonee Robinson’s backup. But he can get back into that picture if he can help the club get off to a strong start in the fall.

James Sands

St. Pauli, defensive midfielder

2024/25 season thoughts: Along with Tolkin, Sands was another player who impressed in the Bundesliga immediately after leaving MLS. Upon joining St. Pauli from NYCFC on a loan, Sands became an important player for the Hamburg-based club. What was important for Sands is that this season showed the benefits of him committing to one position instead of fluctuating between defensive midfield and central defender. In 2024, he told NYCFC that he wanted to focus solely on defensive midfield and that dedication worked very well for him and he was well prepared to play that role in the Bundesliga.  

Unfortunately for Sands, he suffered a serious ankle injury on February 16^th that ended his season. Once St. Pauli clinched survival in the Bundesliga, it was announced that Sands would return to St. Pauli from NYCFC for a loan through the 2025/2026 Bundesliga season. That news reaffirmed the positive impression Sands made on the German club in his first month before the injury.

2025/26 season lookahead: Obviously, everything starts with Sands returning to 100% fitness. If he does that, he should be able to get back into the starting lineup as it is clear the club rates him. From there, he needs to do his best to help prevent another relegation battle. As for the USMNT, he is in a tough spot because there are a lot of players in the pool who play his position. Still, it is within reach for him and he should be motivated by that chance – even if it is small.

Lennard Maloney

Mainz 05, defensive midfielder

2024/25 season thoughts: Midway through the season, Maloney took a gamble in forcing a move out of FC Heidenheim to transfer to Mainz 05. It is easy to see why he would push for the move as Heidenheim looked like it had a strong chance for relegation while Mainz was pushing for a spot in Europe. He was also in the last year of his contract and needed to for security. But the risks were also big because he had a great situation at Heidenheim where he played nearly every game and the club’s coach, Frank Schmidt, is the only manager who has shown belief in Maloney as a regular first-team player. The early returns aren’t promising as Maloney struggled mightily for minutes (five sub appearances totaling 61 minutes since January). On top of that, Heidenheim managed to avoid relegation after Maloney left, which only makes his decision not to extend with them more questionable. The good news is that Mainz did qualify for the Conference League, but Maloney does not have momentum heading into next season.

2025/26 season lookahead: It would be a stretch to be optimistic that Maloney will carve out a significant role at Mainz. He is a very defensive oriented player, and Mainz might seek more offensive capabilities for his position. But at least he will have a full preseason and the coaching staff has more of a chance to figure out how he can help.

Kevin Paredes

Wolfsburg, winger

2024/25 season thoughts: The former DC United homegrown winger essentially had a lost season. He injured his ankle late in preseason and the hope was that he would return later in the fall. But in January, it was decided that surgery was necessary. When he returned in April, his comeback appeared promising and he played well, but he then injured his thigh in just his second appearance. After looking so promising for the Olympic team last summer, Paredes played just 125 minutes this season,

2025/26 season lookahead: Things must be better for Paredes next season. The club still rates him and it was refreshing to see that he returned to the field for a start in April after missing the first eight months of the season. The club saw a clear need for him to be on the field. Talent can only do so much. He needs to show that he is reliable – or else the club will go shopping for someone who is. He can do well in the Bundesliga and with the USMNT but he needs to focus on Wolfsburg first. There will be a lot of pressure on him next year to do so.

Cole Campbell

Borussia Dortmund, winger

2024/25 season thoughts: Campbell, 19, is a top prospect for Borussia Dortmund and has impressed with the club’s youth teams for two seasons. This season, he was given the opportunity with the first team and made four Bundesliga appearances (for just 19 total minutes), one German Cup appearance for 43 minutes, and one Champions League appearance for 13 minutes. It was very good for him to take those steps even if he looked a little lost in the moment when he did. Ultimately, his season ended with an injury on March 1^st.

2025/26 season lookahead: Borussia Dortmund will have some decisions to make on Campbell. The most obvious is whether there is a role for him right now on the first team that will give him the minutes he needs, or does a loan make sense for him? Given that he did not stand out in the limited minutes he was given, a loan seems the most logical (unless he has a very big preseason for Dortmund). Even with Dortmund in the Champions League, the necessary minutes might not be there for him. He has outgrown Dortmund’s youth teams but there is a gap between that level and Dortmund’s first team.

Meanwhile, U.S. Soccer is hoping that wherever Campbell plays to start the season, he will be released to play in the 2025 U-20 World Cup which begins in September.

Noahkai Banks

Augsburg, central defender

2024/25 season thoughts: Another top U.S. youth international was given his first team debut in the Bundesliga as Augsburg gave Noahkai Banks, 18, eight appearances and two starts this season as the club finished in 12th place. Across is 272 minutes, Banks had some impressive high points along with some difficult moments (such as an own goal and a few turnovers in bad places) that showed his inexperience. Overall, it was good for the club and for U.S. soccer that he took important steps in his development.

2025/26 season lookahead: To loan or not to loan? That is Augsburg’s big question for Banks this summer. Central defense is tough for young players as there isn’t as much rotation in these positions compared with others. Augsburg’s 51 goals conceded this past season was tied for seventh best in the league. It can go either way for Banks whether he is loaned out next season. It comes down to his form in preseason and the ability to find another club that has a need for a central defender (and not just for a backup).

 

Timmy Chandler

Eintracht Frankfurt, fullback

2024/25 season thoughts: The 35 year old veteran made just three Bundesliga appearances for 21 minutes has his role on the team now is just as an emergency backup and for off-field attributes.

2025/26 season lookahead: Eintracht Frankfurt like having Chandler on the team even if he rarely plays. He is a good presence on the bench, on the training fields, and the locker room. He was signed to an extension through next season where he will once against have a limited role on the field.

Americans in the 2.Bundesliga

Damion Downs

FC Cologne, center forward

2024/25 season thoughts: The German-American forward established himself as one of the top young American forwards after scoring 10 goals in 29 league games across 1802 minutes (he also added one more goal across three German Cup games) for FC Cologne. The season was a fantastic success for Downs, 20, who played a big part in helping Cologne win the league and earn promotion to the Bundesliga after last season’s relegation. Beyond just his stats, Downs has impressed with the wide variety of ways which he can score. He can score in the air, off the dribble, or with a quick first-touch shot. He impressed and he was rewarded with a USMNT call-up to start the summer.

2025/26 season lookahead: Now in the Bundesliga, Downs will be on an even bigger stage. He played well when he was in the Bundesliga at the end of 2023/24 where he scored two quality goals. But heading into 2025/26, the club will likely trust Downs with the starting job. He has his foot in the door for both club and country and he is raising his game at the right time. The path towards making the U.S. team for the 2026 World Cup is there for him.

Santiago Castaneda

SC Paderborn, central midfielder

2024/25 season thoughts: The young defensive midfielder from Tampa was one of the better surprising stories among Americans in Europe. Castaneda, 20, was developed through paths in American that typically do not produce the country’s best players anymore – high school, non-MLS academies, etc. But he joined Paderborn last summer after a season in the 3.Liga and immediately began starting. In total, he made 32 appearances, 25 starts, and amassed 2297 minutes as Paderborn came up just short of the promotion playoff game, finishing fourth. Castaneda learned a lot of lessons, fought through some tough times, but overall was a significant positive behind the club’s run this year. He established himself as a very good prospect.

2025/26 season lookahead: More will be expected of Castaneda next year as there will be expectations he will take the lessons he learned from his first 2.Bundesliga season and help anchor a midfield that can compete for promotion. If he does that, he could find himself in the Bundesliga soon afterward – either with Paderborn or via sale. He’s a player worth keeping a close eye on.

Julian Green

Greuther Furth, midfielder

2024/25 season thoughts: It seems hard to believe, but next week Julian Green will turn 30 years old. The one-time USMNT hopeful forward is now a dependable two-way central midfielder in the 2.Bundesliga who can still score – and is good with free kicks. This past year he had seven goals across 2358 minutes as Greuther Furth only secured survival in the final week of the season. Green was one of Furth’s best players, but it was a disappointing season for the team. This is Green’s level, but he still has a lot of value as a jack-of-all trades in the 2.Bundesliga.

2025/26 season lookahead: Green will probably remain at Furth although a more ambitious 2.Bundesliga team might be interested as Green could be useful in a push for promotion. Either way, the safe bet is that he will have another good 2.Bundesliga season.

Max Dietz

Greuther Furth, central defender/midfielder

2024/25 season thoughts: Coming off playing for the U.S. at the 2024 Olympics, Dietz had a big role with Greuther Furth where he played 2230 minutes. Furth didn’t have a good season but Dietz was decent as he shuffled between defensive midfield and central defense. For a young player, it was productive for him to play a lot.

2025/26 season lookahead: Dietz will have to show growth next year and the club might be able to sell him for a profit if he does. In that sense, it will be an important year for him. One aspect he might find necessary is to pick a position dedicate himself to it (similar to what James Sands did). That might the only way for him to reach his ceiling. If he remains at Furth next year, he should continue to be a regular starter but it will be important to see if he has a set role/position.

Johan Gomez

Eintracht Braunschweig, attacking midfielder/forward

2024/25 season thoughts: It was a tough season for Gomez who saw his playing time decrease to just 1606 minutes (compared with 2238 minutes the year before). Across all competitions he had 0 goals and 2 assists as his club, Eintracht Braunschweig, only avoided relegation via the playoff.

2025/26 season lookahead: Gomez will be under a lot of pressure to be better next season if he remains at Eintracht Braunschweig. As an attack-minded player, he needs goals and assists to keep his job. That didn’t happen this year and if it doesn’t happen next year, the club will probably look for different options.

John Brooks

Hertha BSC, central defender

2024/25 season thoughts: Brooks did not play as he suffered a season-ending injury before the season began.

2025/26 season lookahead: It is anyone’s guess if Hertha expect him back in a starting role or if they see him as a backup if he recovers well. Hertha finished midtable and a healthy Brooks should be able to help. But he might be at the tail end of his career now.

3.Liga notes

One big note from the third tier is that Arminia Bielefeld won the league and earned promotion to the 2.Bundesliga after an outstanding season which also saw them advance to the German Cup final. Arminia Bielefeld was led by captain and midfielder Mael Corboz, 30, who was named the 3.Liga Player of the Year. Also, Isaiah Young, 17, scored four goals and added four assists in the promotional effort.

It was a great season for the club’s two Americans and they will now be tasked with keeping the team afloat in the second tier.