Marco Reus (36, LA Galaxy) has reportedly discussed his return to Borussia Dortmund.

The German outlet 'BVBWLD' reported on the 3rd (Korean time) citing another German media outlet '11Freunde' that "Marco Reus has kept the option open for his return to Borussia Dortmund."

Reus, who joined the Dortmund youth team in 1995, gradually developed until 2005, but due to his slight physique, he was not given the opportunity to grow further at Dortmund. He then moved to the youth team of Rot-Weiß Erfurt and made his professional debut with that team in 2006.

Borussia Mönchengladbach, which closely observed Reus's growth, signed him in 2009. In his first season of transfer, he played as a bench player, but showed his potential by starting as a right winger. In his debut season of 2009-2010, Reus scored 8 goals and provided 3 assists in 33 league matches, establishing himself as one of the Bundesliga's top prospects.

In the 2010-2011 season, he achieved 12 goals and 9 assists in 37 official matches, and in the 2011-2012 season, he put up 21 goals and 11 assists in 37 official matches, showcasing immense potential that led his 'former club' Dortmund to extend an offer. Dortmund needed reinforcement after star player Shinji Kagawa transferred to Manchester United for the 2012-2013 season.

Reus continued to play solely for Dortmund. Since returning to Dortmund in the 2012-2013 season, he experienced numerous farewells. Players such as Roberto Lewandowski, Ilkay Gündogan, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Ousmane Dembélé, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Jadon Sancho, Erling Haaland, and Jude Bellingham all left the team in pursuit of championship trophies.

Mario Götze and Mats Hummels also left for Bayern Munich to seek trophies, but they eventually returned to Dortmund. While his teammates were leaving the team, Reus was continuously linked with transfers to major clubs such as Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Paris Saint-Germain. However, Reus always greeted each new season with Dortmund.

"The fans endured the time when I was not whole. Now it's my turn to repay them," he said as he extended his contract with Dortmund in the spring of 2018 until 2023. The simple reason Reus provided for his re-signing was "for the team and the fans." Reus also donated 500,000 euros (approximately 680 million won) to support local small businesses that were facing financial crises due to the COVID-19 pandemic, living alongside the community.

Despite being recognized as one of the world's top-level wingers, Reus is also known as a symbol of misfortune and an icon of injury. He has always suffered from injuries before major competitions. He collapsed with an injury just before the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, and again faced an injury right before UEFA Euro 2016, gradually distancing himself from the national team.

Reus struggled to secure trophies at Dortmund. After returning to Dortmund following their successful Bundesliga titles in the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons, the team did not lift the Meisterschale even once until he left.

Dortmund achieved success in the domestic cup competition DFB-Pokal in the 2016-2017 and 2020-2021 seasons, and also lifted the DFL-Supercup three times (2013, 2014, 2019), but these were unsatisfactory achievements compared to the talent he displayed.

In May, Reus officially announced his separation from Dortmund, stating, "I am very grateful and proud to have had special times at Dortmund. I spent half of my life here. There were difficult moments, but I enjoyed every day here," reflecting on his time with Dortmund.

A final chance for Reus to enjoy glory has emerged, as the UEFA Champions League final is approaching. Dortmund has shown a different shape in the Champions League than in the 2023-2024 season, defeating Atletico Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain to reach the final.

Reus is challenging for the championship again in the same location where his first Champions League final was held during his first season at Dortmund.

Dortmund faced Real Madrid bravely at Wembley Stadium. However, they were not cool enough. Failing to convert given opportunities, they lost 0-2. Reus once again tasted disappointment in the same place as 11 years ago.

Reus left with a record of 429 official matches for Dortmund, 170 goals, and 131 assists.

Reus joined LA Galaxy last August. Since then, he has played 15 official matches, recording 1 goal and 3 assists, and achieved victory in the 2024 season MLS Cup.

In a recent interview, he discussed the possibility of returning to Dortmund. The outlet reported, "Reus's heart is still toward Dortmund. He is keeping the option for a future return to the club open."

The outlet added, "Of course, not as a player, but in a new role," noting that "he has already revealed that discussions regarding his future role with Dortmund are scheduled for September 2024. The specific role has not yet been disclosed," discussing Reus's potential return to Dortmund.

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