Thiago Martins Out for Several Weeks After Knee Surgery

In somewhat unexpected news, New York City FC announced on Thursday that center back Thiago Martins is likely to be sidelined for four to six weeks following knee surgery.

Coach Pascal Jansen informed reporters that the procedure, conducted at Montefiore Hospital, was “successfully done.”

Prior to this announcement, there weren’t any signs that Martins was struggling with an injury that could impact his playing time. This surgery comes at a challenging moment for NYCFC, who are already thin at that position.

“We hope he recovers quickly. He plays a huge part in how we operate both in the locker room and on the field,” Jansen said.

According to Hudson River Blue, Martins was meant to address the media ahead of the team’s match against FC Dallas on Friday.

This isn’t the first knee issue Martins has faced since joining NYCFC. He underwent surgery on his left knee in June 2023, causing him to miss over a month then as well.

With this recent injury, NYCFC finds itself in a tight spot, especially after Burke Lisa returned to his club in Norway earlier this month.

Jansen noted that there are various options to cover for Martins in the short term, including Tavon Gray and Kevin O’Toole. He mentioned that the club is exploring potential center-back signings as the transfer window approaches.

“We’ve been monitoring center-back options for quite a while now. It’s not just about Thiago being unavailable or Burke leaving. We have some candidates in mind,” Jansen stated.

Additionally, Jansen hinted that the club’s recent signing, Nicolas Fernandez, could debut on Friday, although he’s still awaiting his visa. The club is working on getting everything in order as quickly as possible.