New York City FC announced that designated player Santiago Rodriguez would depart the club just hours before their week one opening game to Brazilian club Botafogo. The move is one that was expected in recent weeks. However, it still stings for City fans who saw the attacking midfielder grow since joining the club in 2021, into one of the most dynamic players in the league. While it may be a tough pill to swallow, the move may end up proving to be a positive one for City’s efforts both on an off the field.
Rodriguez’s move to City was an inter-ownership move. Much like how Red Bull move pieces around different European clubs, City Football Group have just as large, if not a larger, web of clubs scattered across the globe. The Uruguayan has been wrapped in the web for some time, having begun his professional career with Nacional before moving to CFG-owned Montevideo City Torque. While he saw limited games there, it was his loan in 2021 to Ronny Deila’s NYCFC that shaped the course of his career.
Having just turned 21, Rodriguez was quickly integrated into the club and started MLS Cup against the Portland Timbers on the left wing. Just months after joining the club he helped to raise the first major trophy in the NYC area since the New York Cosmos did it in the early 1980’s. From there he became a proven commodity and took up a coveted Designated Player spot, producing double-digit assists in two different seasons and double-digit goals in 2024.
So why is it that a move for such a player that appeared to be coming into his own within MLS could possibly be a positive? The answer isn’t because of what happens on the field but what it proves in the transfer market. Rodriguez’s move, rumored to be near $14 million according to Transfr Market, proves that NYCFC is capable of not just acquiring talent but also developing players before they move on for incredibly high fees. That money means that the club can reinvest for the next crop of players which has helped them find success in recent years.
The 2021 MLS Cup team was comprised of just promising players. Not just Rodriguez, who seemingly pushed his way into the playoff first team but also players like Valentin Castellano who has moved on to such leagues as Serie A and La Liga in recent years. The old patterns of picking up an aging veteran didn’t prove to be a winning formula for them. With Rodriguez’s move, and Castellanos’ before him, it shows that player development doesn’t mean losing seasons but a chance to raise silverware while also looking out for the betterment of the club financially.
Conversely, the plan depends heavily on City’s ability to not just scout players but also attract them to MLS. Truth be told, it is easier to do so than in previous years. Players like Miguel Almiron have moved to Europe for larger fees, showing that beginning in MLS is a way to the top leagues across the ocean. City’s crosstown rivals New York Red Bulls have maintained a decade of playoff eligibility while taking on a similar path. It doesn’t always prove to be successful but it is a path that is no longer marked by on-field struggles like it did in previous years.
photo by Jordan Bank