American Soccer Players in Germany: 2023/24 weekly update
Ever increasing numbers of American nationals are currently on the books of soccer teams in Germany, with the Aaronson brothers Paxten and Brenden joining in 2023 alone. But how are they, as well as the likes of Jordan and Joe Scally getting on in 2023/24?
bundesliga.com takes a look at their performances so far as the 2023/24 campaign continues apace...
Club: Borussia Dortmund (on loan at Nottingham Forest)
Position: Attacking midfielder
Age: 21 (born November 13, 2002)
Bundesliga games this season: 11
Starts: 1
2023/24
Reyna took part in Dortmund's summer tour of his homeland, but did not feature in any games owing to a foot injury. He finally returned to action during Matchday 7 as Die Schwarzgelben faced Union Berlin and got his first start of the league campaign in Frankfurt on Matchday 9. He subsequently left on loan for Nottingham Forest in the Premier League in January.
Watch: All of Reyna's Bundesliga goals and assists
Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach (on loan from Union Berlin)
Position: Forward
Age: 27 (born April 26, 1996)
Bundesliga games this season: 23
Starts: 17
2023/24
After registering four goals and three assists in his debut Bundesliga season last term, Jordan faced even stiffer competition for a place up front at Union after the arrival of Kevin Volland. As such, he was allowed to move on loan to Gladbach, scoring his first goal in a 3-3 draw with Darmstadt on Matchday 4.
Last matchday
Jordan came on with 15 minutes left on the clock in the 2-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 29, but lasted just 10 minutes before being replaced due to injury.
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Club: Eintracht Frankfurt
Position: Full-back
Age: 33 (born 29 May, 1990)
Bundesliga games this season: 5
Starts: 0
2023/24
After being limited to just 87 minutes of action in 2022/23, Chandler has made only a handful of late cameos so far this season
Last matchday
Chandler was an unused substitute in Frankfurt's 3-0 defeat in Stuttgart on Matchday 29.
Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach
Position: Full-back
Age: 21 (Born December 31, 2002)
Bundesliga games this season: 27
Starts: 23
2023/24
Now in his third full season with Gladbach, Scally - with freshly dyed blonde hair - has made a starting berth his own, even scoring in the 2-2 draw with Mainz on Matchday 7.
Last matchday
Scally was an unused subsitute in the defeat to Dortmund.
Watch: Check out Scally's wonder goal against Mainz
Kevin Paredes
Club: Wolfsburg
Position: Winger
Age: 20 (born May 7, 2003)
Bundesliga games this season: 23
Starts: 12
2023/24
Paredes established himself as a first-team squad member last term, making 22 top-flight appearances. A thigh strain suffered in pre-season ahead of 2023/24 set him back in the pecking order initially, but goals against Bremen and Cologne have aided his claim for more playing time.
Last matchday
Paredes remained on the bench for the full 90 minutes as Wolfsburg succumbed 3-0 to Leipzig on Matchday 29.
Paxten Aaronson
Club: Eintracht Frankfurt (on loan at Vitesse Arnheim)
Position: Attacking midfielder
Age: 20 (born August 26, 2003)
Bundesliga games this season: 7
Starts: 1
2023/24
After arriving in Frankfurt in January 2023, Aaronson soon impressed former head coach Oliver Glasner enough to make seven Bundesliga appearances. He featured prominently for new boss Toppmöller in pre-season but with Mario Götze, amongst others, in his way for a place in attacking midfield, he was sent out on loan to Vitesse Arnhem in the Dutch Eredivisie in January.
Watch: Paxten Aaronson - Frankfurt's new US prospect
John Brooks
Club: Hoffenheim
Position: Centre-back
Age: 31 (born January 28, 1993)
Bundesliga games this season: 20
Starts: 18
2023/24
Brooks left Wolfsburg at the end of the 2021/22 campaign and moved to Portugal. However, the Berlin-born defender only made five appearances for Benfica prior to joining Hoffenheim just after Matchday 17 in 2022/23. He is now very much a mainstay in New Jersey native Pellegrino Matarazzo's side.
Last matchday
Brooks was introduced after 60 minutes against Mainz with Hoffenheim trailing 2-1, but could not stop his side from falling to a 4-1 defeat.
Watch: Brooks scores and then gets sent off as Hoffenheim beaten by Frankfurt
Brenden Aaronson
Club: Union Berlin
Position: Attacking midfield
Age: 23 (born October 22, 2000)
Bundesliga games this season: 24
Starts: 9
2023/24
Aaronson arrived on loan from Leeds United in July 2023, joining his younger brother Paxten in Germany's top flight. He made his competitive debut for Union in the 4-0 DFB Cup first round win over Astoria Walldorf on 13 August.
Last matchday
Aaronson played from start to finish on Matchday 29 against Augsburg, although he was unable to prevent a 2-0 victory for Union's opponents.
Watch: Brenden Aaronson arrives in Berlin
Lennard Maloney
Club: Heidenheim
Position: Midfielder
Age: 24 (born October 8, 1999)
Bundesliga games this season: 25
Starts: 24
2023/24
Maloney has become one of the first names on the teamsheet at promoted Heidenheim following his switch from Borussia Dortmund in June 2022, and was in the top two players across the Bundesliga for distance covered until suffering an injury.
Last matchday
Maloney played the full 90 minutes of Heidenheim's 1-1 draw with Bochum on Matchday 29.
Damion Downs
Club: Cologne
Position: Forward
Age: 19 (born July 6, 2004)
Bundesliga games this season: 7
Starts: 0
2023/24
An U19s German Cup winner with Cologne last season, German-American Downs signed his first professional contract ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. He netted his first-ever Bundesliga goal as a substitute to level a Rhine derby in Mönchengladbach on Matchday 25.
Last matchday
Downs played just over quarter of an hour against Bayern at the Allianz Arena in what was a 2-0 defeat for the Billy Goats.
Watch: Downs scores equaliser in six-goal Rhine derby thriller
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