New York City FC: Joe Scally sale the ideal young MLS progress
This week, New York City FC sold 16-year-old defender Joe Scally to Borussia Monchengladbach for $2 million. This is how MLS can progress, selling young talent and doing so before it is too late.
The development and sales of young players can help build a team. While it is always desirable to see these players flourish at the club they came through at, for Major League Soccer clubs, those that are genuinely good enough will move onto European sides.
In the past, MLS teams have been a little hesitant to sell their stars. They have overvalued their own club’s influence, have priced out potential investors and missed on the opportunity to make the most of their young talent.
But this offseason, New York City FC are rewriting the narrative. They are making sure to make the most of their talent.
This week, it was reported in ESPN by Jeff Carlisle that NYCFC are set to sell 16-year-old right-back Joe Scally to Borussia Monchengladbach for a reported fee of around $2 million. The deal, in and of itself, is not especially spectacular. A European club making a low-risk move to sign a high-potential individual who could develop into a starter one day.
But what it means to MLS as a whole is very different. MLS has largely failed to utilise the benefits that players like Scally can provide. They hold onto these players for too long, fail to recognise when is the right time to sell and consequently lose on precious value.
This lesson was obviously learned by New York City FC sporting director Claudio Reyna. In the story, Reyna’s comments were fascinating, a clear indication that he has recognised the previous mistakes of teams throughout the league. When speaking about the Scally sale, Reyna said:
More from MLS Multiplex
- Javier Milei Elected in Argentina: Potential Impacts on MLS and Signings of Argentine Players
- Orlando City and New York City FC in the Battle for Matías Arezo; Grêmio Enters Negotiations! Who Will Come Out on Top?
- USA, Honduras, Panama, and Canada Close in on a Spot in the 2024 Copa America
- De Gea Turns Down Al-Nassr’s Lucrative Offer: Speculation Points to Possible Reunion with Messi at Inter Miami
- Messi’s Magnetic Impact in the United States
"“There comes a point where there’s a deal on the table that’s just too good to pass up. [Gladbach] stepped up, made an offer. It’s just a great deal for us. Sometimes you’re not quite sure if you’re selling at that right value. We look at data from around the world for similar transfers, and so we want to make sure that we’re in the same ballpark and that we’re not asking for a ridiculous transfer fee. There is also a point where their value starts dropping, and you have to be aware of that. So you have to kind of strike while it’s hot, and that’s what happened with Joe. It just made so much sense.”"
It is quite plain that Reyna is not going to make the same mistakes as his previous counterparts. The key line is this: ‘There is also a point where their value starts dropping, and you have to be aware of that.’ Previously, MLS teams have not been aware of this deterioration of their players’ values, and thus missed out on the peak time to sell.
dark. Next. USMNT: 3 immediate takeaways from November roster
Reyna and New York City FC were not going to miss out on that same opportunity. And in doing so, they have shown the way forward for fellow MLS clubs.