New York City FC: Jesus Medina is not worth the DP contract so far

Jesus Medina is improving but the New York City FC player is not worth his DP contract

Before the 2020 season began for New York City FC, I was highly critical of Jesús Medina. Previously, I believed the club could not wait for him to improve and should offload him in the offseason. Or, at least Medina’s contract should be downgraded, which would result in a Designated Player spot opening up.

All over, fans and the media alike were critical of the Paraguayan, and patience was growing thin or lacking altogether. The pressure was on for Medina, and the club itself. In his previous two seasons, the 23-year-old was invisible, lacking influence on the pitch. He was lifeless on the wings and predominately struggled to make a difference in the attacking third.

Medina also scored only nine goals between 2018 and 2019. As an attacking Designated Player, Medina should have had more goals, and since he was not a striker, should have had a higher influence on the pitch. Now, with eleven regular season games and the MLS is Back tournament in the rearview mirror, Medina is finally making a dent as a contributor in the 2020 season.

Jesus Medina has been underwhelming so far with New York City FC

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So far, Medina has scored three goals in all competitions. In spite of this, only one goal is attributed to the regular season, and he had yet to score since the MLS is Back tournament.

While he does need to do better with finishing, especially in the last six games he played, his attacking abilities have strengthened. Medina can move up the pitch swiftly, and his pace allows him to serve crosses into the box.

Additionally, he is more readily available for teammates, making himself accessible in the attack. Still, he has not registered an assist in the regular season. On the positive side, he tracks the ball more often, enhancing defensive skills and illuminating to fans he is willing to put in the effort.

It is obvious Ronny Deila sees the quality of Medina and believes he belongs at New York City FC. The head coach gave him chances early on and has since continued to name him the starting lineup. Since he has improved in the last few months, the young DP deserves a chance to make it in the big city. There is something magical trying to come out, which is why at this point he is worth keeping.

However, Medina is no way living up the Designated Player role, and because of his contract, selling him would make sense. The lack of goals and assists, despite his escalated effort, is not good enough, especially for an attacking player. Plus, he is into his third season with the club; he should have done more yesterday.

Hence, Medina should have better numbers under his name, especially for a player making a base salary of $750,000 in 2019, and a guaranteed compensation of $870,833.33. To put it into perspective, only Maxi Moralez, Alex Ring, and Héber had a higher base salary than Medina, and Héber has a lower guaranteed compensation. In other words, that money could be used elsewhere.

Nonetheless, if NYCFC can downgrade his contract, then he would be worthwhile to experiment with for just a little while longer. But the DP spot is being wasted away and losing value. Medina should be scoring more and needs to be more consistent. He needs to make opposing players concerned and fearful when he is on the wings in the attacking third. Yet, Medina is not a force to be reckoned with. Therefore, he is still not worth the DP contract, and New York City FC must have discussions about his future.