2026 Roster and Transfer Discussion Thread

[gbservis]

Transfer window closes tomorrow. Looks like spin doctor Sims was absolutely trying to reframe expectations a few weeks ago when he started floating the idea of not getting a striker until the second window.

 

[BC19]

Transfer window closes tomorrow. Looks like spin doctor Sims was absolutely trying to reframe expectations a few weeks ago when he started floating the idea of not getting a striker until the second window.

I actually remembered that he mentioned last July that the team was looking at adding another attacking dp. There has been 16 weeks of open transfer window since then and it has not happened. He is a liar.

 

[mgarbowski]

- And in the game of soccer the most important player will be "The Striker" who scores the most goals.
- Will every team have a great Striker?
- No. In fact the team in New York will often go half a season or more without bothering to get any Striker worth playing.
- Seems like they should.
- And yet they won't.
- Why?
- Nobody knows.

 

[mgarbowski]

With one day left, NYCFC is tied with the Galaxy, Timbers, and Earthquakes for fewest players acquired this window with 5.
If you exclude homegrowns, MLS Next call-ups and super draft signings, NYCFC has 1 player transferred in either by waivers, loan, trade, fee transfer, free agent, or free. I believe the next lowest is San Jose with 3. Everyone else had 4, 5, 8, 10. To be fair, we have a very well constructed team outside of front line attackers. But at the end of the window those attacking holes remain.

Our friend David Lee has brought in 14 new players, and 11 excluding homegrowns MLS Next and super draftees. On the one hand, I don't believe they are a very impressive group. On the other hand, he has a poor budget and started from a terrible position. But he is undoubtedly capable of filling roster holes with alacrity.

 

[mgarbowski]

There’s no actual info here. Not sure what Sims could say anyway.

https://twitter.com/x/status/2036887412375269386

 

[gbservis]

"And the other thing about star players is you need to make good choices... You need the guys who are going to be the hardest trainers, good team mates and good for the locker room and the culture. We do a lot of due dilligence, and not just on star players."

.....So we avoid that issue entirely by not signing star players.

I know he was speaking more broadly at that point but its a weird comment to make in response to a question about a guy as highly regarded as a teammate as Mo Salah. Kind makes me wonder how much Brad even knows about Mo.

Also, who did this pinky promise you love NY with all your heart and really really want to be here and work hard due diligence on Jovan?

 

[BC19]

I wonder what the vaunted Sims/Dunivant due diligence would turn up about Mo Salah.