Four moves NYCFC should make before the 2022 MLS Season

NYCFC should continue to prioritize pursuing and cultivating breakout youngsters for the first team

If a recent report from the esteemed Jordan Griffith is to be believed, NYCFC is possibly pursuing younger players to fill out their roster in 2022. This is absolutely the right move for the team. Although moving Taty Castellanos is definitely on the priority list — as is another young player we will get to in a second — there’s no need for NYCFC to completely mortgage their future and cash in on all of their assets just yet.

Barring some kind of a medical breakthrough, it’s likely that star right back Anton Tinnerholm won’t be back upon next season’s start. Continuing to use Tayvon Gray in that role should absolutely be the obvious, go-to move in that regard. In if all things go as planned until the summer, Tayvon will have already solidified himself as the starter at that position.

This philosophy should also translate over to the Pigeons’ transfer policy as well. While Jesus Medina didn’t work out the way the team would’ve liked, replacing him with a young player on the right flank is of the utmost importance. Who that player is, is anyone’s guess, but NYCFC must take the same line of thinking that went into snatching up Talles Magno last year.

Speaking of Magno, he moves to the top of the striker depth chart should they complete the Taty deal. We all love Héber and are stoked he’s coming back for another go-around next year, but Deila’s system is no longer built around his success. It was built around Taty’s and when he wasn’t available, Magno was the most viable replacement at the team’s disposal. Also, it cannot be reasonably expected that Hèber will be the same player after his injury as he was before it, especially having already surpassed the age of 30.

Any and all signings NYCFC decides to make in January should have age at the forefront. Speaking of January…

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