It was a surprise when Talles Magno returned to New York City FC at the start of preseason. Once considered one of the brightest prospects in Major League Soccer, the Designated Player spent the past 17 months in Brazil on loan to Corinthians. But now he's back with NYCFC, where he was named to the 2026 preseason roster, took the #11 jersey, and played as a No 9 for part of the 2-0 friendly win over Austin FC last week.
But the 23-year-old didn't appear in the club's 1-1 draw with LAFC yesterday at the 2026 Coachella Valley Invitational despite the team's desperate need of a striker. And then sharp-eyed Hudson River Blue contributor John Baney noted that there was no "Talles" among the club's player trackers in New York City's most recent batch of training photos.
