According to a report by Spanish outlet AS, NYCFC is not planning to renew David Villa’s contract at the end of this season.
Villa has become one of the most decorated Designated Players in Major League Soccer history since arriving in 2014, scoring 74 goals over the course of his NYCFC career. Villa won the 2016 MLS MVP and finished one goal behind Golden Boot winner Bradley Wright-Phillips in the scoring rankings that season. He then came up two goals short of the 2017 Golden Boot order behind Nemanja Nikolic.
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The report states that, at 36 years old, Villa could potentially contemplate retirement at the end of the season, having already hung up his international boots four years ago just two caps shy of the 100 mark. According to the report, NYCFC could potentially offer him a front office role, either as a coach or executive.
Villa has missed some time this season due to injury, with knee problems sidelining him for three matches early in the campaign and a knee injury troubling him of late, but he played 71 minutes last weekend against Toronto and scored the opening goal, and is apparently good to go this weekend against Philadelphia. Despite the injuries, Villa is still second on NYCFC in scoring with nine goals, one behind Ismael Tajouri-Shradi for the team lead.
The Spaniard’s career has seen him win titles at the highest level, with a Euro 2008 victory, a World Cup title in 2010, a Champions League victory in 2010/11 with Barcelona, and La Liga championships with both Atletico Madrid and Barcelona.