NYCFC makes an interesting loan move by acquiring Andrés Perea

On Friday, New York City FC announced a new addition to the roster.  The club announced that they brought in Andrés Perea on loan from the Philadelphia Union.  The loan will last until the end of the 2023 season, and there is no option to buy. 

Perea is a midfielder by trade, and mostly plays as a defensive midfielder.  He originally started his career in Major League Soccer with Orlando City SC but moved to the Philadelphia Union this year.  The 22-year-old was expected to be a major contributor but has only played 146 regular season minutes in eight games.

NYCFC adds Andrés Perea on loan

As such, it is clear the new NYCFC player is a move for depth purposes, and David Lee expressed this.

"We’re excited to have Andrés join the Club on a loan for the remainder of the season. Andrés will bring additional depth and options to our midfield as we begin a busy period of the season. He is a young and talented player who has already accumulated a lot of professional experience, both in MLS and abroad, and has a bright future ahead of him. We’re looking forward to integrating him into our group as we push towards the playoffs. "

David Lee

It is true that Perea has experience.  The midfielder has 82 regular season appearances in MLS since 2020, and his best season came in 2021.  He played in 27 matches and had over 1,700 minutes to his name.  However, his playing time declined significantly in 2022, and in 2023, he made the move from Orlando to Philadelphia.

At the same time, this is an interesting move, for NYCFC is giving their Eastern Conference rival $300,000.00 in 2024 General Allocation Money to have Perea on loan for the rest of the year.  Sure, the Union is paying some of the player’s salary, but why not invest in depth for 2023 and beyond? 

Perhaps Lee and the rest of the front office see the player as a way to help the team, but just for this season.  There might be some depth signings on their mind, but attaining them cannot occur until next year. 

Nonetheless, it was vital for the Pigeons to bring in a depth signing for the midfield, and they did just that.  Whether Perea will make an impact for New York City FC, well, that is another question.  Clearly, there is a reason that his minutes were limited in 2023.