Questions surround NYCFC as the team enters the 2025 preseason

The New York City FC preseason is less than a week away, and the new head coach Pascal Jansen will lead the team for the first time when they meet on Monday, January 13. As of today, there have not been too many roster changes. The Pigeons have not signed anyone, which may be due to a number of reasons. Some players have departed the club, but currently, the number is lower compared to past offseasons.

As mentioned, NYCFC will begin the preseason on Monday. The Boys in Blue are supposed to head to California for the majority of the preseason, first stopping in Santa Barbara before going to Indio for the Coachella Valley Invitational. Of course, the team will be paying attention to the fires in the Los Angeles area. They will not be near the fires, but the threat could impact their travel plans.

There are questions for NYCFC

Meanwhile, there are some questions as NYCFC prepares for the 2025 season. At least one was answered with Jansen's hiring, but the head coach, front office, and players must answer these questions before the Boys in Blue play the season opener against Inter Miami CF.

For example, with James Sands' loan, who will replace the beloved Homegrown player? Will Justin Haak step up and properly fill his spot? Will Andrés Perea become an everyday starter? Or will NYCFC bring in someone to replace Sands? Regardless, this must be answered as soon as possible.

In addition, when will Jovan Mijatović be back? The Serbian was involved in a car accident, for he hit a woman who was crossing the road outside of a crosswalk. Her status and whether he must stay in Serbia for the time being is unknown. One can assume he must remain while the investigation is ongoing.

Another question is the one on everyone's mind: will Maxi Moralez return to the Bronx team? Hopefully, the answer will be yes.

Then, there is a question of which draft picks will sign with NYCFC, if any. Of course, Jansen will utilize the preseason to make the decision. Plus, anyone not ready for Major League Soccer could join NYCFC II. Speaking about the MLS Next Pro side, will any of the first-team players who were with NYCFC II see playing time in MLS? Will anyone make the jump, or even split their time between the two teams?

Lineup wise, will Jansen use a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 lineup as he has done with his previous teams? Or will he shock everyone and use something different?

These are all questions that must be answered during the preseason. NYCFC cannot enter the 2025 season without these answers.