Borussia Mönchengladbach fullback Joe Scally is more than aware of his rumored links to the Premier League – and says that those rumors give a player like him confidence in his abilities.
The USMNT staple has been linked with a move to clubs like Newcastle United, Fulham, and Bournemouth as the January transfer window begins to wind down.
Answering a question asked by DailyMail.com, Scally said that transfer rumors are hard to avoid these days and that they let players like him know that their talents are a known quantity.
‘All players see these rumors you know, I think it even gives you confidence to see that other teams want you,’ Scally told reporters on Tuesday.
‘Obviously you see it, there’s no hiding from social media nowadays, so everyone sees everything. Definitely – for me, at least – it gives me confidence just to play better in the next game and the next game.
Joe Scally says links to clubs like Newcastle and Fulham give him confidence in his abilities
‘In the end, when you’re playing the game, you’re not focused on “oh this team is watching or that team’s watching.” It’s just your focus on the match plan and how to execute as best as you can.’
The 21-year-old Scally has fully entrenched himself within the USMNT now – having logged eight caps and was named to Gregg Berhalter’s 2022 FIFA World Cup roster.
But with a major tournament coming up this summer – the Copa America – and facing competition at his position from the likes of PSV Eindhoven’s Sergiño Dest and Fulham’s Antonee ‘Jedi’ Robinson, Scally hopes to take every advantage he can get to prove he deserves to start.
‘No one wants to not play and be a sub,’ Scally told DailyMail.com. ‘So everything I do is to prepare and put myself in the best situations to start.
‘I feel like every week I play, I do as best as I can for the past three years now. I’ve pretty much played every single game.
‘When you when you go into these camps, it’s very short. You know, it’s just mainly focused on games, not so much hard training to prove yourself.
‘So I just do it a week in, week out like this. And of course, my goal is to start in Copa America.’
Of course, Scally is not the only American playing in the Bundesliga rumored to be considering a move to the Premier League.
![The 21-year-old will fight for starting time with the USMNT at this summer's Copa America](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/30/14/80633751-13023471-image-a-16_1706624808006.jpg)
The 21-year-old will fight for starting time with the USMNT at this summer’s Copa America
![Scally also advocated for his friend and USMNT teammate Gio Reyna of Borussia Dortmund](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/30/14/80633543-13023471-image-m-7_1706624673179.jpg)
Scally also advocated for his friend and USMNT teammate Gio Reyna of Borussia Dortmund
![Scally and Mönchengladbach are in the middle of the Bundesliga pack but remain a challenge](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/30/14/80633547-13023471-image-a-2_1706624593720.jpg)
Scally and Mönchengladbach are in the middle of the Bundesliga pack but remain a challenge
Fellow New York City FC academy graduate Gio Reyna has been linked with a loan move away from Borussia Dortmund as he struggles to regain playing time under manager Edin Terzić.
Scally and Reyna are close and while they don’t talk specifically about his lack of playing time, the Mönchengladbach man told FOX Sports’ Doug McIntyre that he believes the winger deserves to be on the pitch.
‘Most of our conversations are not about soccer at all,’ Scally revealed. ‘What he does and what everyone does with their career, they kind of just keep to themselves.
‘I mean, of course, like, we talk, we hang out, we just do normal 21-year-old stuff – we play Xbox all the time.
‘Of course it’s been a difficult time for him. He deserves to play and deserves all the minutes he can get.’
Scally’s sights are currently set on the weekend and a matchup with German giants Bayern Munich as Mönchengladbach hope to bounce up from their current position of 12 in the Bundesliga table.
Die Fohlen are ten points off Europa Conference League qualification, but are also nine points out of a potential relegation playoff position.
Just two games into the Bundesliga’s Rückrunde or ‘second half’ of the season, Scally will hope to help prove the difference and turn the tide – possibly beginning with the Bayern clash at the weekend.