Mounsef Bakrar is experiencing the worst goal drought of his New York City FC career to date. With no goals so far in 2025 – and none since the August 31, 2024, more than 250 days ago – the striker who was brought in to bolster the front line hasn't justified the reported $2 million fee it cost to sign him from NK Istra in Croatia back in 2023.
When the club loaned out 19-year-old striker Jovan Mijatović to OH Leuven in Belgium at the start of the season, it cleared a path for Bakrar to lay claim to a role in the NYCFC attack. Instead, Bakrar has stagnated on the bench and failed to produce when called upon.
As the Boys in Blue struggle to find a consistent source of goals outside of talisman Alonso Martínez, Bakrar's lack of impact and seemingly stunted development since arriving in the Big Apple has left many questioning if the Algerian's time to prove himself is running out.
A ghost in front of goal
The last competitive match in which Bakrar scored a goal for New York City FC was a 4-2 loss to the Columbus Crew last August. In the time since, the Boys in Blue made a run in the MLS Cup Playoffs, sacked head coach Nick Cushing, hired Jansen, sold Santiago Rodríguez, and played the first 14 matches of the 2025 MLS season.
