I'd have they thought that there was better "proven" talent in one if the top European or South American leagues to be found. If this lad was that good wouldn't you want him to prove it in one of those leagues first? When you only have 3 DP slots I'd go with more solid bets. That's not to say that all the players have to be past it. You might find a very decent player in South America who would see NYCFC as a stepping stone to Europe (rather than going to Portugal, Ukraine or Russia).
That said I've never seen him play - maybe he's sensational.