ไทย
English
中國人
New York City FC CEO Brad Sims has expressed his desire to bring AC Milan and USMNT winger Christian Pulisic to the club at some point down the line.
"At the end of the day, we believe that Christian is going to want to play in MLS and come back home," Sims said at a New York City event on Thursday. "Whenever that time comes, we would think and hope that New York City FC would rank very high on his list of preferred destinations."
While Pulisic's contract with AC Milan runs through 2026–27, it would expire in June, just one month before the scheduled Etihad Park opening on July 17, as part of the new MLS calendar, which will run from July 2027 through playoffs in early 2028, bringing it in line with the schedule used by Europe's top leagues.
With the calendar realignment syncing MLS's transfer windows with those in Europe, MLS clubs are expected to pursue higher-profile talents at younger ages, leveraging the financial power of North American sports.
For now, Sims described the Pulisic pursuit as "dead in the water" unless AC Milan is willing to part ways with the left winger. However, the approaching end of his contract could serve as a turning point for a potential European exit, particularly if he endures another underwhelming season in Italy.
"If you ask any of my 29 counterparts across the league whether they'd want Christian Pulisic on their team, I'm pretty confident you'd get 29 yeses," Sims added. "It's a straightforward question to answer in that sense.
"Would we love to have him? Absolutely. Would any MLS team love to have him? I'm fairly certain the answer is yes. Would MLS, as a league, love to have Christian Pulisic here? I think that answer would also be yes."
New York City FC Seeking a Star for New Stadium
With a new stadium on the horizon, New York City FC are anticipated to be in the market for a marquee player to headline the club's next chapter while also serving as a marketing attraction alongside the new venue. Though the team hasn't been firmly linked to any major stars recently, an American talent like Pulisic or a veteran European name—potentially with connections to fellow CFG-owned Manchester City—could be a viable target.
Enable functional cookies to see this feature.
NYCFC's early MLS years featured World Cup champions David Villa and Andrea Pirlo, along with English icon Frank Lampard. That said, the club's 2021 MLS Cup-winning squad was anchored by a young Taty Castellanos, now at EFL Championship side West Ham, and a veteran Maxi Moralez, who remains with the team but is recovering from a ruptured ACL at age 39.
Currently sitting eighth in the Eastern Conference, NYCFC's immediate on-field priority is securing a spot in the MLS Cup playoffs, while Sims and the front office continue to pursue their long-term vision, which may well include Pulisic at some stage.