Promising from an early age in the United States, Bryan Reynolds made his professional debut at 18 with his boyhood club FC Dallas, before quickly moving to Europe and joining AS Roma for nearly €7 million in the summer of 2021. At the Roman club, then managed by Paulo Fonseca, the American failed to convince, making only a few appearances, which ultimately led to a loan move to Belgium with KV Kortrijk. He eventually caught the attention of KVC Westerlo, who signed him in the summer of 2022 to make him a starter — a role he has not relinquished since, now playing his fourth season with the yellow-and-blue club.
On the international stage, Bryan Reynolds is well known in his home country, having represented the United States at every youth level — U16, U17, U18, U19, and U23 — before earning a senior cap in 2021 and taking part in the 2023 Gold Cup. Since then, however, he has not been called up again.
Standing just under 1.90m tall, the right-back imposes himself physically with notable lower-body strength, allowing him to dominate aerial duels thanks to both his leap and his natural height advantage. His headers carry good power and decent accuracy. Despite his size, Reynolds is far from lacking pace — on the contrary, his acceleration and top speed often leave opponents behind. However, his height can sometimes be a disadvantage in quick changes of direction. Naturally right-footed, his left foot is average in quality, which limits its use. In addition to his power and speed, the American displays strong endurance, giving him an above-average work rate and the ability to string together matches without fatigue or injury.
More attack-minded in profile, Reynolds enjoys pushing forward, particularly by carrying the ball down the line, combining through quick one-twos, and varying his movement with runs into the half-spaces in the final third. His ability to surge forward fits perfectly with his stamina and provides a genuine attacking outlet that is difficult to defend. Moreover, his crosses are of good quality and are consistently delivered with his head up, looking for a teammate rather than simply targeting an area. A significant number of his deliveries are cut-backs — a preferred crossing zone for the American. The right-back likes to inject tempo into the game, playing quick combinations, attacking space in behind, and showing the ability to cross with a single touch. That same tempo can sometimes work against him, however, as certain passes lack precision when played in haste.
Thanks to his strong overlapping ability, so effective offensively, Bryan Reynolds can also contain opposing wingers by matching them physically. That said, his defensive technique is not his strongest asset, with three main shortcomings: he is often too far from his direct opponent, particularly when the latter is in possession; he can focus too much on the ball and neglect his surroundings; and he has a tendency to dive in too quickly.
Reynolds does not appear to have the profile of a leader; on the pitch, he remains calm and focused. Despite this being his fourth season at Westerlo, he does not seem to occupy a major role in the dressing room.
Having been a regular starter for four years at a mid-table club in a league outside Europe’s top five, the American will likely be eager to rediscover a club of higher stature after his unsuccessful spell in Italy. One of his key objectives will also be to return to the national team. A move as a number two right-back, tasked with earning his place and proving himself at 25 years old, could be a particularly appealing prospect for him. For Lyon, a reliable backup to compete with the Englishman Ainsley Maitland-Niles would certainly not go amiss.
Comparison between Ainsley Maitland-Niles (blue) & Bryan Reynolds (red).