New York City FC have delivered a Designated Player to their roster.
The reigning MLS champions signed Brazilian center-returned Thiago Martins from Japanese first-division facet Yokohama F. Marinos as a Designated Player via the 2025 season with an choice for 2026.
“Thiago is a noticeably appeared defender who is getting into the height tiers of his career,” NYCFC sporting director David Lee stated in a launch. “He has all of the attributes we look for in a defender and we agree with he will fit our style of play nicely and thrive in MLS.
“He’s a sturdy, quick and technically proficient participant who is good at the ball, can play out of the lower back and could allow us to preserve to play a excessive backline. He’s also a top notch professional who became one of the captains in Yokohama and could be every other strong leader for us each on and rancid the pitch.”
Martins kicked off his expert career with Brazilian facet Palmeiras in 2013, in which he recorded 50 appearances before happening to function for Yokohama F. Marinos.
The middle-back earned a loan spell to Marinos in 2018 previous to finishing the permanent switch and leading the facet to the 2019 league championship.
“Everything conspired flawlessly to make this awesome pass to New York, I additionally watched a number of fits from remaining season,” Martins said in a release. “I saw we are a team that likes to play appealing and attacking soccer, have many gamers which might be first rate on the ball, but at the same time work hard and are warring parties.
“It’s no surprise why they were champions, I can inform they have got achieved a number of work and have an first-rate structure here. I realize I am becoming a member of an incredible organization of defenders and am searching ahead to schooling and playing with all of them.’’
Martins joins NYCFC’s backline, alongside Peru global Alexander Callens and Luxembourg worldwide Maxime Chanot.
The group is about to kick off the 2022 MLS season on February 27 whilst travelling the LA Galaxy.
