TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
New York City FC may boast one of the more talented attacks in MLS, but they're not resting on their laurels after scoring 56 goals in 2017.
NYCFC announced Friday that they had signed Ismael Tajouri, a 23-year-old right winger, from Austria Wien.
Tajouri, who can also play underneath the striker, has spent his entire pro career in Austria and made 14 starts in 17 appearances this season. Though he has not found the back of the net this campaign, he scored a career-high 10 goals across all competitions in the 2016-17 season.
“We wanted to add more power, pace and skill in one-v-ones to our frontline and Ismael really fulfills this criteria – he is a very talented player who will compete for minutes,” head coach Patrick Vieira told NYCFC.com. “He’s got good experience for his young age which he can bring to this team and I’m really looking forward to working with him. Of course, there are areas of his game he needs to work on but I strongly believe that we have a solid structure around us to help all of our young talented players improve.
“Ismael a dynamic, direct player who can score goals and his work ethic is really good. He’s another player that we were chasing for a long time and for that reason we’re really pleased that this deal has finally happened.”
Tajouri has spent his entire career on the books at Austria Wien, coming up through the youth ranks in 2013 before going on loan to second-division outfit Rheindorf Altach and helping them achieve promotion. After two-and-a-half years at Altach, Tajouri returned to Vienna and became a regular starter for the 24-time Austrian champions.
Born in Switzerland to Libyan parents, Tajouri moved to Austria at age 9 and received his Austrian passport in March 2016. He has represented Libya's Under-20 national team but has yet to earn a senior international cap.
“It’s a dream come true to play for a big club like NYCFC – I’m looking forward to putting in good years with the club, playing good football and making the fans happy,” Tajouri told NYCFC.com. “When it was done and I realized Patrick Vieira was going to be my new coach, I was so happy – he’s such a big personality in the game, he’s won everything and it’s a dream to now say that I will play under him.
“The fans are number one as they will push us every day to play good football and I can tell them now that I am so, so happy to be here, I will show you what I can do and I cannot wait to say ‘hello’ in New York.”
Tajouri's signing follows NYCFC's addition of Beninese defender Cedric Hountondji on Thursday and represents NYCFC's sixth signing of the offseason.
