The end-of-the-year roster decisions are here as NYCFC begins building for 2026 | OneFootball

New York City FC's 2025 season is over, and now the Bronx side must begin building for the 2026 campaign. This will be the final year that Major League Soccer is played from late February through the MLS Cup Final in December. Plus, this is supposed to be the final season playing at Yankee Stadium or Citi Field.

But of course, as they do every year, NYCFC had to make their first roster decisions to begin building for the new season. So, on Monday, the club revealed the end-of-the-year roster decisions. Seven players had their options picked up, three had their options declined, and two players are free agents.

Nico Cavallo, Tayvon Gray, Thiago Martins, Max Murray, Kevin O’Toole, Tomás Romero, and Strahinja Tanasijević had their options picked up. NYCFC then declined Prince Amponsah, Andrés Perea, and Alex Rando. Then, Justin Haak and Maxi Moralez are free agents. The team said they are in conversation about their futures with the club, and will be negotiating with Perea, too.

Reactions to NYCFC's roster moves

Not bringing back Amponsah and Rando makes sense. It was unlikely they would see time with the first team, and now they can seek a move elsewhere. Then, it made sense that NYCFC picked up the options that they did. The only questionable choice would be Tanasijević, for he has not been the best center-back while with the Pigeons. However, picking up his option means that he could still leave, but it will not be on a free transfer.

Additionally, it is possible that any of the seven players who had their options picked up could be on the move. Of course, ideally, that does not include Gray, Martins, or O'Toole. Although the argument remains that Martins should not be a Designated Player. It is unknown whether his contract can be changed at this time, but keeping him as a DP could be detrimental in building for 2026.

The biggest shock, though, was that NYCFC declined Perea's option. Yes, he will miss a good portion of the upcoming season due to his lower leg injury. However, it would not look great for the club to force him to recover and rehab as a free agent. They did say that they are negotiating, so perhaps both are on the same page to do a new contract now. Perea really began to shine this season and was a vital part of the lineup. He should remain a player with NYCFC.

At the very least, the Boys in Blue confirmed that they are talking to Moralez about his future. That might mean that both parties are open to a return. The Argentine might still be pondering whether he should retire.

It is also good that NYCFC said they remain in discussions with Haak about his future. The versatile player should re-sign with the club to continue his development, and he knows he has an important role under Pascal Jansen. Ideally, fans will hear about his status sooner rather than later.

Overall, there are no complaints with the roster decisions for the 2026 season, with the exception of Perea. However, it appears the club is trying to work out a new deal, so they are not just dumping him. And again, NYCFC is not done by any means with the moves they will make this offseason. Some players are bound to leave via trade or transfer. Supporters should also pay attention to whether the team tries to transfer some of their loan players permanently. Hence, this is only the beginning of the roster changes.