NYCFC extends Ebenezer Ofori’s loan

New York City FC have announced today that midfielder Ebenezer Ofori will be returning to the Bronx for at least one more season on loan.

Ofori returns after spending the entirety of the 2018 MLS season with NYCFC on loan from VfB Stuttgart. And though early word seemed to indicate that the Ghanaian would be returning to the the Swabians for the remainder of the 2018-19 European season, news broke yesterday that the Blues were in talks to bring Ofori back. The loan is listed as being for one year with an option to buy.

A fixture in the lineup in 2018, Ofori logged in 27 appearances with NYCFC last season. In a slight departure with previous scouting reports, “Eben” featured more prominently as a box-to-box midfielder — as opposed to his previously designated defensive midfielder — as a way for the team to cope after losing Yangel Herrera early in the season to injury.

The overall results were mixed. But given one more season, Ofori could be quite a weapon if he can adjust more to being the bridge between defensive midfielder Alexander Ring and the No. 10 Maxi Moralez.

Going into this new season, Ofori is expected to compete with James Sands and the newly acquired Keaton Parks for the now-vacant No. 8 role in 2019.