New York City FC announced the acquisition Monday of Brazilian defender Thiago Martins as a designated player.
Martins, 26, joins the defending MLS Cup champions from Japan’s Yokohama F. Marinos through the 2025 season with an option for 2026.
“Thiago is a highly regarded defender who is entering the peak stages of his career,” NYCFC sporting director David Lee said in a release. “He has all the attributes we look for in a defender and we believe he will suit our style of play well and thrive in MLS.
“He’s a strong, quick and technically gifted player who is good on the ball, can play out of the back and will allow us to continue to play a high backline. He’s also a fantastic professional who was one of the captains in Yokohama and will be another strong leader for us both on and off the pitch.”
Martins began his pro career at Brazil’s Palmeiras, appearing in 50 matches from 2013-16 before being loaned to Yokohama. He helped that club win Japan’s J1 League championship in 2019.
“Everything conspired perfectly to make this great move to New York, I also watched a lot of matches from last season,” Martins said in a release. “I saw we are a team that likes to play attractive and attacking football, have many players that are great on the ball, but at the same time work hard and are fighters.
“It’s no wonder why they were champions, I can tell they have done a lot of work and have an amazing structure here. I know I am joining an amazing group of defenders and am looking forward to training and playing with them all.”
NYCFC open the 2022 MLS season on Feb. 27 at the LA Galaxy.
–Field Level Media
