The best NYCFC news of the day: Maxi Moralez is back!

When New York City FC legend, Maxi Moralez, decided to return home to Argentina after the 2022 season, there was no shock at all with the decision. The move was expected, and the Argentine always desired to return to his boyhood club, Racing Club de Avellaneda.

As such, he made the move to Racing. Sadly, his return did not go as planned. This led Moralez to terminate his contract, and he became a free agent.

But as the saying goes, when one door closes, another door opens. In this case, a familiar door opened.

Hence, NYCFC announced that Moralez has returned to the club. The Little Genius is back. The legend signed a new contract that will keep him at the club through 2024.

Maxi Moralez is back and that is great news!

This might be the nostalgia talking, but the decision to bring back Moralez was the best move of the summer by NYCFC. The Bronx side brought in plenty of talent, but there are unknowns to some of the new players. With the Argentine, everyone knows what he can bring to the table. His talent and veteran status will be critical to not only the rest of 2023 but next season too.

That is why it was an easy decision to welcome the midfielder home. Sporting Director, David Lee, expressed that the NYCFC.com:

"We are thrilled to welcome Maxi back home to New York. We are obviously extremely familiar with the type of player and man Maxi is, and the impact Maxi has had on this Club both on-and-off the field. In addition to the contribution he can make on the pitch, Maxi will bring leadership and experience to our young group of players and will now have an important role in helping their development.

"After a stint in Argentina, Maxi wanted to return home, and we were very happy to facilitate a move back to New York. Maxi is a leader, knows the league well, and thrives in the high-pressure moments of the biggest matches. We have a run of extremely important games ahead of us and adding a player of his caliber and experience will be invaluable for our roster."

- David Lee

It was an easy choice for Moralez as well. He always wanted to return to the city.

"When I left, I knew I wanted to return in some capacity, I missed the City, the people, the environment, and the day-to-day. After so many years together, from the many shared experiences to all the people I came across, this is my home. I know the Club, the coaches, staff, and some of the guys very well, they always have treated me and my family well, so it was a place I wanted to come back to."

- Maxi Moralez

The return of Moralez is the best news of the day. However, there is the question of how Nick Cushing will utilize him for the remaining games. Will he start or come off the bench?

Truthfully, it would be clever to have him start and move Santiago Rodríguez to the wings. The Pigeons need a creative player to create chances, and Rodríguez has not done well enough in that role. Yes, there was the lack of a striker, but the young midfielder should have been better.

Thankfully, Moralez knows and understands the team and Cushing's tactics. It should not take long for the player to readjust to the club. New York City FC is lucky to have the Little Genius back. There is no doubt he will make an immediate impact.