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 Gio Reyna, Jordan and Joe Scally getting on in 2023/24?
bundesliga.com takes a look at their performances so far as the 2023/24 campaign starts to heat up…
Club: Borussia Dortmund
Position: Attacking midfielder
Age: 21 (born November 13, 2002)
Bundesliga games this season: 8
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.
Last matchday
Reyna had a goal ruled out for offside after coming on as a late substitute in Dortmund’s 1-1 draw at home to Mainz.
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: 10
Starts: 7
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 missed Gladbach’s last three matches of 2023 with a thigh strain.
Jordan (c.) moved to Borussia Mönchengladbach on loan from Union Berlin in August 2023. – IMAGO/Jan Huebner
Club: Eintracht Frankfurt
Position: Full-back
Age: 33 (born 29 May, 1990)
Bundesliga games this season: 0
Starts: 0
2023/24
After being limited to just 87 minutes on the pitch throughout 2022/23, Chandler is yet to feature under new head coach Dino Toppmöller in the Bundesliga this campaign – with a calf injury making him unavailable for selection in recent weeks.
Last matchday
Chandler remains without any Bundesliga minutes to his name so far this campaign – he was not in the matchday squad as Frankfurt lost 2-1 in Mönchengladbach on Matchday 16.
Timothy Chandler has proven himself to be a useful squad player at Eintracht Frankfurt. – DFL
Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach
Position: Full-back
Age: 20 (Born December 31, 2002)
Bundesliga games this season: 16
Starts: 13
2023/24
Now in his third full season with Gladbach, Scally – with freshly dyed blonde hair – is making the right-back slot his own following the cancer diagnosis of fellow full-back Stefan Lainer, even scoring in the 2-2 draw with Mainz on Matchday 7.
Last matchday
Scally played the full 90 minutes of Gladbach’s last-gasp defeat to Frankfurt.
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: 13
Starts: 3
2023/24
Paredes established himself as a first-team squad member last term, making 22 top-flight appearances, but a thigh strain suffered in pre-season ahead of 2023/24 set him back in the pecking order in Niko Kovač‘s side.
Last matchday
Paredes was an 72nd-minute substitute as Wolfsburg lost 2-1 to Bayern on Matchday 16.
Kevin Paredes registered his first direct goal contribution in the Bundesliga with an assist against Freiburg on Matchday 16 last season. – RONNY HARTMANN/AFP via Getty Images
Paxten Aaronson
Club: Eintracht Frankfurt
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 has featured prominently for new boss Toppmöller in pre-season but has Mario Götze, amongst others, in his way for a place in attacking midfield.
Last matchday
Aaronson did not make the matchday squad for Frankfurt’s year-ending defeats to Leverkusen and Mönchengladbach.
Watch: Paxten Aaronson – Frankfurt’s new US prospect
John Brooks
Club: Hoffenheim
Position: Centre-back
Age: 30 (born January 28, 1993)
Bundesliga games this season: 13
Starts: 13
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 played the full 90 minutes for the third consecutive match as Hoffenheim were held to a 3-3 draw by Darmstadt on Matchday 16.
John Brooks (r.) is as tough to beat as they come in the air. – AFP via Getty Images
Brenden Aaronson
Club: Union Berlin
Position: Attacking midfield
Age: 23 (born October 22, 2000)
Bundesliga games this season: 11
Starts: 4
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 frst round win over Astoria Walldorf on 13 August.
Last matchday
The older Aaronson sibling came on in the 85th minute of Union’s 2-0 win over relegation rivals Cologne on Matchday 16.
Watch: Brenden Aaronson arrives in Berlin
Lennard Maloney
Club: Heidenheim
Position: Midfielder
Age: 24 (born October 8, 1999)
Bundesliga games this season: 16
Starts: 16
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, leading the Bundesliga for distance covered.
Last matchday
Maloney played 75 minutes of Heidenheim’s 3-2 win over Freiburg on Matchday 16.
Lennard Maloney made history with Heidenheim by playing in the team’s first-ever Bundesliga fixture on Matchday 1. – IMAGO/H. Langer
Damion Downs
Club: Cologne
Position: Forward
Age: 19 (born July 6, 2004)
Bundesliga games this season: 3
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.
Last matchday
Downs was not part of the squad as Cologne lost 2-0 in Berlin on Matchday 16.
Damion Downs (l.) on his Bundesliga debut, attempting to win the ball off Naby Keïta (r.). – IMAGO/Eibner-Pressefoto/Marcel von Fehrn
