New York Red Bulls midfielder and former U.S. national team captain Claudio Reyna is expected to announce his retirement from professional soccer today.Reyna, 34, became one of the Red Bulls' two Designated Players last year after a 12-year career in Europe, during which he played with Bayer Leverkusen, Wolfsburg, Rangers, Sunderland and Manchester City. Reyna scored 22 goals in 265 European club appearances. He also anchored the U.S. midfield during the 1998, 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups. A string of leg and back injuries prevented him from playing this season for New York.
What's interesting about Reyna's retirement from an MLS perspective, though, is that the Red Bulls will not use Reyna's DP slot this year. That would open the door for someone like, say, Barcelona striker Thierry Henry to move to New York in 2009, right about the time that Red Bull Park would finally be ready. The Red Bulls might have to wait an extra year, though, as Henry's contract doesn't expire until 2010, and MLS prefers not to pay transfer fees.
Still, Reyna's retirement and Henry's love of New York City should keep that rumor spinning for quite some time.
