Nashville SC have acquired midfielder/forward Alex Muyl from New York Red Bulls, first reported from The Athletic‘s Sam Stejskal and confirmed by Broadway Sports. Nashville will send a 2020 and 2021 international slot to New York in exchange for Muyl. The transfer will be official when the MLS secondary transfer window opens tomorrow, August 12.
Muyl is a versatile attacking player, capable of playing anywhere across the front three. In New York, he largely saw his playing time at the no. 10 position diminished after the signing of Kaku as a DP. Muyl played 55 minutes at the MLS is Back tournament in two appearances, as well as playing 90 minutes for New York Red Bulls II against Tampa Bay in the USL Championship.
Muyl’s 2019 was solid, if not spectacular. He managed three goals and two assists, and finished sixth on the team with 5.11 xG+xA. In his total 6,934 MLS minutes, he’s scored 11 and assisted 12, or 0.32 goals + assists every 96 minutes.
Muyl isn’t a high profile signing, but comes from a system in New York that often makes players look like unspectacular cogs in a pressing machine. He probably isn’t the signing that will turn Nashville’s attack into an elite threat, but he’s a versatile depth piece who’s consistently been available. With injury-prone options like David Accam, Jimmy Medranda and Abu Danladi in similar positions, Muyl will give head coach Gary Smith a consistent option across the front three, and one with an extremely high work rate on both sides of the ball. In light of a heavily congested fall schedule, it could make sense.
Nashville gave up a 2020 and 2021 international spot to acquire Muyl, meaning they have two left for 2020. If they acquired Muyl’s homegrown rights, he won’t take up a spot on the senior roster, meaning Nashville could still bring in two players without having to move other pieces around.
We’ll have more on the signing once it becomes official.
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