A New York City FC squad depleted by some key international call-ups will be missing another important player on Matchday 18 and beyond. Midfielder Keaton Parks reaggravated the foot injury he's had since preseason and now faces an absence expected to be measured in weeks.
While meeting the media ahead of the Atlanta United FC match at Yankee Stadium, Pascal Jansen ruled Parks out for "a while," acknowledging the midfielder is dealing with a recurrence of the foot injury he's battled on and off all season.
"Keats is unfortunately not available for us going into this game. I think he'll be out for a while still, considering the problems he still has and had with his foot. So we'll have to be a little bit more patient in order to get him back on the roster," said Jansen.
In a separate interview with NYCFC radio announcer Glenn Crooks, Jansen said Parks "won't be available for the coming weeks," which hints at a more lengthy period on the sidelines to try to solve the nagging foot problems.
Unfortunate injury news for #NYCFC & Keaton Parks. It's the same foot that has bothered him since preseason. From my pregame briefing w/ Pascal Janson. Listen👇 "He won't be available for the coming weeks." #NYCvATL #MLS @newyorkcityfc.com @sickpodnycfc.bsky.social @siriusxmfc.bsky.social
— Glenn Crooks (@glenncrooks.bsky.social) June 10, 2025 at 4:29 PM
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Parks was removed inside 40 minutes in both New York City games played against the Ohio teams, the road match against Columbus Crew and the home match against FC Cincinnati, due to flare-ups of the foot problem.
After leaving the Cincinnati match on May 4 in the 25th minute, Parks was out of the squad for four straight matches (including the US Open Cup), returning May 25 against Chicago Fire FC at Yankee Stadium, though only in a momentary cameo as a last-minute sub.
He then built up to 17 minutes as a substitute in the home loss to Houston Dynamo FC, followed by an entire second-half appearance as a game-changing substitute on the road against Nashville SC in the 2-2 draw on May 31. Parks had two assists off the bench to salvage that draw at GEODIS Park and it seemed like he was back and on the way back into the Starting XI.
Instead, in some time from Nashville to now, the foot got worse enough to warrant another weeks-long spell on the sidelines for Parks. The 27-year-old was excellent and influential for New York City this season when he's been out there, even while playing through the lingering foot issue.
Now the midfield has to adjust once more, though the schedule gives the team and Parks some time to work with. While Jansen ruled Parks out for Atlanta on June 12 and "the coming weeks," New York City also has 16 days between matches before a busy July stretch that includes four consecutive away games in the middle of the month.
International call-ups in the midfield like Aiden O'Neill, Jonny Shore, and Máximo Carrizo will be done with their national team duties and back in time for the team's trip to face CF Montréal on June 28, so there's cover – along with the versatile Justin Haak, plus Andrés Perea.
The question for Keaton Parks now becomes how many of those "coming weeks" mentioned by Jansen will be necessary to get him back and able to play. Right now, given the frequent reappearances of the same foot problem, it seems fair to wonder if this will be a problem hanging around for the entirety of the 2025 season.
Abe Shire
