Who had San Diego FC picking former New York City FC winger Thiago Andrade in the 2024 Expansion Draft, a player who last appeared in Major League Soccer more than 20 months ago, then trading him to Toronto FC in exchange for a first-round pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft?
Certainly not the staff at Hudson River Blue.
San Diego could also get up to $250,000 in General Allocation Money in the future if certain performance-based metrics are met. San Diego will get a percentage of a future transfer fee if Andrade is sold out of Major League Soccer by Toronto.
New York City will receive $50,000 in GAM for their troubles.
Far, far away
Thiago Andrade is currently on loan at Shenzhen Peng City FC in the Chinese Super League, where he has three goals and three assists in 22 appearances, until December 31, 2024. He joined Shenzhen Peng City after spending much of the previous year with Club Athletico Paranaense in Brazil's Serie A. The 24-year-old, who is valued at €1 million by Transfermarkt, left New York City in March 2023, shortly after scoring the game-winning goal in a match against DC United.
Thiago Andrade was the fourth expansion draft pick for San Diego. Tyler Heaps, the club's general manager and sporting director, also plucked players from the rosters of Colorado Rapids, Orlando City, Charlotte FC, and St. Louis City. You will find the full list below.
San Diego FC | 2024 Expansion Draft
| Player | Club | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Jasper Löffelsend | Colorado Rapids |
| 2. | Heine Gikling Bruseth | Orlando City |
| 3. | Hamady Diop | Charlotte FC |
| 4. | Thiago Adrade* | New York City FC |
| 5. | Hosei Kijima* | St. Louis City |
* Traded
Thiago Andrade was among the nine players New York City left exposed. Last week, the club somewhat surprisingly revealed they picked up the 2025 option for the winger despite his not appearing with NYCFC for close to two seasons.
Did New York City plan to bring him back into the squad? The team currently have plenty of attacking options on the wings, and it seemed unlikely that Thiago Andrade could find much playing time if he returned. Or were they planning on another loan, or even a sale? Any plans for the attacker were quashed by San Diego's selection.
Signed for $1.8 million in 2021
Thiago Andrade joined New York City in April 2021 for a reported $1.8 million fee, and started getting regular playing time under then-head coach Ronny Deila. He made 21 appearances that year, scoring four goals and adding two assists to NYCFC's title-winning campaign. He made 33 appearances the following year, scoring five goals and adding two assists.
But he was sent to Paranaense on loan just after the start of the 2023 season despite New York City's desperate need for attacking players that year. It was unclear why he went to Brazil, why he was then loaned to Shenzhen Peng City — and why NYCFC just picked up his option.
Now Toronto will need to come to terms with Thiago Andrade.
2024 MLS Expansion Draft
New York City FC | Exposed Players
| Player | |
|---|---|
| 1. | Thiago Andrade |
| 2. | Mounsef Bakrar |
| 3. | Rio Hope Gund |
| 4. | Jovan Mijatović |
| 5. | Maxi Moralez |
| 6. | Birk Risa |
| 7. | Tomás Romero |
| 8. | Strahinja Tanasijević |
| 9. | Thiago Martins |
This is the third time that New York City lost a player to the expansion draft. In 2019, Inter Miami CF selected defender Ben Sweat. He went on to make 22 appearances for his new club. In 2021, Charlotte FC picked Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, then traded him to LAFC for $400,000 in GAM. Tajorui-Shradi made just six appearances for LAFC.
Oliver Strand
