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New York Red Bulls End Pursuit of Timo Werner: Report
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- New York Red Bulls End Pursuit of Timo Werner: Report
One of the longest-running MLS transfer sagas has finally come to an end.
According to Tom Bogert of The Athletic , the New York Red Bulls will not pursue a transfer of German forward Timo Werner in the MLS offseason.
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Recently promoted New York Red Bulls Head of Sport Julian de Guzman explained to The Athletic why the Red Bulls declined to sign Werner when presented with the opportunity in the summer. De Guzman confirmed that Werner is no longer a transfer target.
"There was always talks about (Werner)," de Guzman said. "We have to make sure, here in New York, it makes sense for us. It's a great name to bring, I think fans would have loved him. The opportunity was there, but I don't think we were 100 percent sold that this was the right thing for New York. That's why it wasn't something we were fully invested in. We'd rather be patient (with that DP spot)."
The Red Bulls missed out on the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs after reaching the 2024 MLS Cup. It was the club's first playoffless season in 15 years.
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Supporters grew outraged as the club failed to show ambition by declining the opportunity to sign a third designated player. Late in the season, the supporters sections in The South Ward of Sports Illustrated Stadium held up a banner that read: "Poor Management Breeds Complacency."
There were also incidents of a minority of supporters taking out their frustration on players who walked over to The South Ward to recognize the fans for their support following a 3-2 defeat to Hudson River Derby rivals New York City FC .
Red Bulls Face Offseason of Big Questions
New York Red Bulls supporters from the group Torcida 96 display a banner during the second half of the game between the Red Bulls and the Columbus Crew at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn ImagesVincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
De Guzman will need to get the supporters groups on board by restoring the Red Bulls to winning ways.
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Priority number one will be naming a new head coach. The club let go of head coach Sandro Schwarz three weeks ago.
Former Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin could be a contender. The 46-year-old led Philadelphia to the 2020 Supporters' Shield, and the Union were MLS Cup runners-up under his watch in 2022.
Former United States national team star Michael Bradley was recently installed as Red Bulls II head coach. Though Bradley entered the role without a great deal of experience, he led the reserve team to a championship over Colorado Rapids 2 at the 2025 MLS Next Pro Cup Final.
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It's possible that Bradley's fresh ideas and success with the reserve team could make him a leading candidate to replace Schwarz as Red Bulls senior team head coach.
"I'm very impressed by what he's done," de Guzman said in the same interview. "Beyond winning MLS Next Pro itself, it's his (playing) style. It's attractive for players, for fans. You can see how calm he is, how he delivers his message to the players. I must say it's refreshing."
De Guzman's major decisions regarding the club's next head coach and third designated player will have a tremendous impact on whether the Red Bulls will be competitive in 2026.
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There's also the matter of shoring up the goalkeeping position. On Monday, the Red Bulls confirmed that popular goalkeeper Carlos Coronel will not be retained for the 2026 season .
De Guzman will need to get these crucial decisions right for the Red Bulls to get back on an upward trajectory.
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Nov 18, 2025, where it first appeared in the Soccer section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
