What does the signing of Tomás Romero mean for the NYCFC goalkeepers?

On Tuesday evening, New York City FC announced the surprise signing of Tomás Romero. The New Jersey native joins on a contract through the end of the season. There are options through 2026.

The goalkeeper previously spent time with Major League Soccer teams Los Angeles FC and Toronto FC. Last season, he made six appearances with the Reds. He was mostly used as a backup keeper, so it is expected he will fill a similar role with the Bronx side. The question is whether he will be the second or third choice. After Matt Freese's extension, he is certainly the starter.

Why did NYCFC sign Tomás Romero?

There were rumors about Romero's signing, but it was still unexpected. The former Toronto player joins NYCFC as the fourth goalkeeper. The Pigeons recently signed Alex Rando to a Homegrown deal, which at the time raised questions regarding the goalkeepers. However, Cody Mizell retired and made the move to D.C. United as a coach.

Therefore, NYCFC has Luis Barraza, Freese, Rando, and Romero on the roster. It is rare for a team to carry four players, so what does it mean for the goalkeepers?

Obviously, Freese is not going anywhere since he is the first-choice keeper at this time. Then, Rando and Romeo were signed for 2024. Does that mean Barraza is seeking a move or loan elsewhere? It is possible since he lost out on his starting role at the end of last season. He might want consistent minutes after finally moving off the bench for most of 2023.

That is a strong enough reason to sign Romero. In that case, the new player would likely act as the backup to Freese.

At the same time, Barraza might want to fight for his spot and is not seeking to leave. In this scenario, NYCFC might see Rando playing mostly with NYCFC II for the upcoming season. The Homegrown player needs to continue developing, and the MLS Next Pro team would enable that. That could be why the Front Office felt having Romeo was a smart move.

Regardless of the why, NYCFC supporters will find out soon enough what the plan is for the goalkeepers.

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