Moussa Sylla move from Schalke to NYCFC falls through: Sources

Mali international forward Moussa Sylla will not join NYCFC after all, as a proposed transfer to the MLS club has collapsed and the player will reintegrate with Schalke instead – and the 2. Bundesliga leader is not happy about how the deal fell apart.

“We are irritated by the behavior of New York City FC,” Schalke sporting director Frank Baumann said in a statement provided to The Athletic. “The contracts were not only negotiated, but already signed. Now, from our point of view, it is incomprehensible to postpone a failed medical check and thus activate a clause in the contract – because Moussa is healthy and fit for play. We see no reason in the findings to consider the medical check as failed. We will vehemently contradict this representation, also to protect Moussa. He can easily be on the road as a professional footballer for another decade.”

NYCFC declined to comment in reply to Baumann’s statement.

“Instead of a firm commitment, there was suddenly talk of a loan with options on Sunday,” Baumann added. “This is not acceptable to us.”

NYCFC is working on other options as the club continues its search for a center forward. Sylla was set to be one of the club’s three designated players. Sylla, 26, has four goals and two assists in 17 appearances in the German second tier this season after a career-best 16 goals last term.

Before moving to Schalke, Sylla excelled in the French second tier with Pau FC, where he had 15 goals and seven assists in the 2023-24 season.