NYCFC, Pascal Jansen left to find a ‘new No. 9’ after Moussa Sylla deal falls through

NYCFC manager Pascal Jansen opted not to shoot back at Schalke sporting director Frank Baumann, who stated that he was “irritated by the behavior” of the MLS club after the transfer of striker Moussa Sylla fell through due to a failed medical.

“I don’t think that’s wise,” Jansen said during his preseason availability on Tuesday after the club opted not to release a statement in response to Baumann’s comments. “Those were the words from Germany and Schalke in this particular situation, and we’ve said what we’ve wanted to say, and I’m going to stick to it.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Baumann sent a statement to The Athletic, expressing his disbelief that the 26-year-old Mali international’s move was nixed.

“We are irritated by the behavior of New York City FC,” Schalke sporting director Frank Baumann told 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.”

It leaves NYCFC scrambling with less than three weeks to go until the start of the 2026 MLS season to find a prominent central striker after last year’s leading scorer, Alonso Martinez, suffered a torn ACL in November while on international duty with the Costa Rican national squad.

Sylla was expected to help fill that void. He scored 16 goals last season with the 2. Bundesliga side and has four goals with two assists in 17 appearances this year for Schalke, who sits atop the table in the race for promotion to Germany’s top flight.

“The deal fell through, and now we’re going to switch gears and try to find a new No. 9,” Jansen said. “And that’s what our focus is heading toward for the season.”

For more on Moussa Sylla and NYCFC, visit AMNY.com