It is officially official: NYCFC confirmed that Justin Haak has left the club | OneFootball

New York City FC fans already knew that Justin Haak was leaving the club after ten years between the academy and first team.  He revealed the information himself via Instagram, and the reports about him heading to the LA Galaxy were already out in the media.  It was not what anyone wanted, but sadly, this is reality.

Now, the club has finally confirmed from their end that Haak is not re-signing with the Boys in Blue.  NYCFC announced the news on Monday, confirming what was already known.  It is unknown why contract talks broke down, and truthfully, the front office did not look great with this ultimate travesty of events.  Bringing back Haak was a priority, and they failed to do so.

Justin Haak officially leaves NYCFC

Shockingly, the departure is not entirely on NYCFC.  Tom Bogert said that Haak had multiple offers and reportedly accepted less money. Then, Roberto Abramowitz said he heard that he left to "bet on himself."

The Bronx team actually offered the most money. Additionally, his new contract with LA is only for a year, with an option for 2027. This alone was shocking, and his leaving raises questions.  Did the midfielder choose to leave to try something new and change things up?  Did he see something happening in the Big Apple that he did not like?  Was he only willing to stay for a higher price than offered?

Fans might never know the full truth. Still, as expected, the announcement was filled with kind words for Haak, and it took a look back at his time with the Pigeons.  While the midfielder clearly had his best season with NYCFC in 2025, he was still a part of the team for many years, contributing when he could on the pitch.

Despite signing in 2019, he did not start to get a decent amount of playing time until 2022, which, of course, only got better as the seasons progressed.  He was with the team in the 2021 MLS Cup winning season, but did not make an appearance.  Plus, he was out on loan for the end of the year with Hartford Athletic.

Nevertheless, Haak’s growth during his time with NYCFC was slow but impressive.  Not many people likely thought he would have the season that he did and would become the hottest player on the market during the offseason for 2026.  Sadly for the Queens team, that was the case, and they lost out on keeping him.  Again, despite the early anger, it is clear that the club is not entirely at fault.  Still, the news is a bit tough to swallow.

Hopefully, neither the club nor the player is leaving with bad blood between them.  Based on NYCFC and how they honored him throughout the day, it does not appear to be the case.  But for the fans, there is no question that Haak will be welcomed back one day with open arms, whether it is with another team, with the Pigeons, or among the fans.