Undefeated through their first two matches of the season, New York City FC still needs to decide when — or if — reinforcements will arrive as the end of the transfer window moves closer.
NYCFC nearly found their Alonso Martínez replacement in Moussa Sylla before a deal fell apart, and since then, all has been quiet, but sporting director Todd Dunivant said this week that the hunt is still on.
“We still want to add to the team, I mean, there’s no question and we feel like the attacking end of the field is where that needs to be done,” Dunivant told The Post. “We’re looking at options, and it’s something that we’re actively pursuing. We’re not going to just get anyone; we can get a striker tomorrow. We want to get the right one, and we’re working on that. As an organization, we’ve had that intent through the offseason and into now, so it’ll happen.
“It’s just a matter of when and making sure that we get the right guy.”
New York City FC has leaned on Nicolás Fernández Mercau as their No. 9 of sorts through the first two games of the season, with Seymour Reid helping to fill the gap with Talles Magno.
In separate media round tables this week, Dunivant said that the team has the “flexibility to add” a designated player, and club CEO Brad Sims said NYCFC has the budget “for a significant investment now in this window,” Hudson River Blue reported.
But in terms of the “right guy” that Dunivant is talking about, there are a few components that go into it, including how any potential addition would mesh with Martínez once he returns from the ACL injury he suffered last November, while with the Costa Rican National Team.
“We can’t wait to get him back, but we can’t also wait for him to fully get back without some sort of reinforcement,” Dunivant said to The Post. “We need to think about the now, but also think about when he does come back, how does that look? Can these players coexist? Can they get the best out of each other?
“Can we improve the team, not just now, but also what happens in when Alonzo comes back? So those are the things we’re balancing and that makes it kind of a different exercise.”
The MLS primary transfer window closes on March 26.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
