WITH THE EUROPEAN season slowly starting to get underway with important preseason games, the smaller leagues beginning, and with the transfer window now fully open, it is time to open up a European notebook with thoughts on several of the big news stories involving American players.

For now, we will start in France.

 

Reyna to Strasbourg

 

As L’Equipe reported on Sunday, Gio Reyna is set to leave Borussia Monchengladbach after just one season and head to France to play for Strasbourg which finished eighth place in Ligue 1 last season and will be out of European play despite advancing to the UEFA Conference League semifinals last year.

Borussia Monchengladbach will be taking a loss to dump Reyna. The Bundesliga club paid Borussia Dortmund $4.8 million for him last year and will now be selling him to Strasbourg for $3.5 million while getting almost nothing for him in return. In 19 games, Reyna played just 510 minutes, while scoring a goal and adding no assists.

 The good news for Reyna is that Strasbourg likely can use him. The French club just sold Argentine midfielder Valentin Barco, 22, to Chelsea and are limited in its budget to find replacements. Chaired by former U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati, UEFA’s CFCB First Chamber found Strasbourg in violation of spending caps and fined the club €12 million. In addition, Strasbourg is also required to significantly decrease its wages.

As for Reyna, 23, the move is entirely based on getting playing time and performing well because it is hard to see him continuing downward after this. Without improvement, this is likely his last move within Europe’s top five leagues. He is now moving into a club with problems and a bit of uncertainty. If he can stay healthy, the minutes should be there for him. Then it is up to him to show his worth and durability. He cannot afford for this to not go well.

 

Arfsten nears Boro move

 

U.S. national team winger/wingback Max Arfsten did not play for the Columbus Crew over the weekend against Inter Miami because he was finalizing his move to Middlesbrough, per numerous reports. If completed, as expected, he would join fellow Americans and Crew alumni Sebastian Berhalter and Aidan Morris. He would also join central defender Adilson Malanda, 24, of France who played with Charlotte FC from 2022-2025.

What is good for Arfsten is that Middlesbrough has wanted him for over a year and saw bids rejected last summer and again in January. With Middlesbrough now having been after him consistently for three windows, it speaks well to the sincerity of the club’s interest in him.

Of course, the issue with Arfsten is about his position. Is he a left back, left wingback, or left winger. He broke through with the U.S. team as a backup to left back Antonee Robinson but defensively he was exposed at times. Going forwards, he was very effective.

Last season with the Columbus Crew, Arfsten was moved back to his natural wing position and was playing very, very well. Middlesbrough will likely take the same approach with him.  

 

Berhalter makes solid Boro impression

 

Staying with Middlesbrough, Sebastian Berhalter made his first preseason appearance with the club on Saturday in a 3-3 draw with Espanyol. It was Boro’s final preseason game before facing Wrexham next weekend in the EFL Cup. It will open its Championship season on August 15 against Lincoln City.

Berhalter earned very positive reviews for his performances including making a big pass on a goal that was called back for offside, making another nice passing in the build-up to the team’s second goal, and then hitting a corner that was an assist on the third goal.

All signs point to Berhalter being very important to Middlesbrough’s promotion hopes this coming season.

 

LASK’s big start

 

In Austria, LASK opened up its Austrian Bundesliga title defense with a comfortable 3-0 win over Grazer, which narrowly escaped relegation last season.

As was the case towards the end of last season, Sam Adeniran and George Bello were very important to LASK’s win.

Adeniran scored two goals in this game and had seven shots. He was the most dangerous player on the field with his first goal coming off a header and the second off a penalty.

For two players who hit tough low points in their careers, they are both are enjoying a nice rebound in Austria and will get to play in Europe this season.

 

LASK vs. Celtic

 

UEFA held its draw for the playoff round of the Champions League with LASK and Celtic being drawn against each other. The first leg will be on August 18 or 19 in Glasgow.

Four Americans are likely to start in this game with Adeniran and Bellow for LASK while USMNT defenders Auston Trusty and Cameron Carter-Vickers are the main central defenders for Celtic.

UEFA Champions League news involving 4 American players.
- Celtic and LASK will meet in the playoff round, with the winner going to the league phase of the Champions League
- Celtic: Auston Trusty and Cameron Carter-Vickers
- LASK: Samuel Adeniran and George Bello pic.twitter.com/EjZIDKmoH1

— Brian Sciaretta (@BrianSciaretta) August 3, 2026

While the winners advance to the league phase of the Champions League the losers will head to the Europa League.

Aaronson shines in Leeds preseason win

Leeds United defeated Liverpool 4-2 after trailing 2-0 at halftime. Brenden Aaronson made his first preseason appearance for Leeds while he came off the bench and scored the first goal in the comeback. He then assisted on the team’s final goal.

Aaronson is likely disappointed with his lack of minutes



for the U.S. team at the World Cup. With Mauricio Pochettino’s return, Aaronson will need to raise his game to show more ways that he can help his team.

 

Other European notes

 

Mathis Albert, 17, played the final 30 minutes for Borussia Dortmund in a 1-0 win over FC Tokyo in Japan. He did not make any major errors but still looks a little behind the curve to contribute regularly to Borussia Dortmund’s first team. A loan might be the necessary next step.

U.S. Olympic hopeful Diego Kochen made one save for Lyngby in a 2-2 draw with AGF in the Danish Superliga.

Antonee Robinson played the first half of Fulham’s 2-1 win over Farense of Portugal.

Rokas Pukstas scored the only goal for Hajduk Split in a 2-1 loss to NK Varazdin in Croatia’s HNL opener. Hajduk Split were recently bounced from Europa Leauge qualifying with a 4-0 second leg loss to Pafos of Cyprus. Pukstas is long overdue for a move.

Bryan Reynolds played the final 15 minutes for Rennes in a 3-3 draw with Galatasary.