New York City Football Club have dealt former starting goalkeeper Josh Saunders to Orlando City Football Club, the team announced Friday.
In exchange, NYCFC will receive Orlando’s fourth-round pick in the 2019 MLS Super Draft.
TRADE: #NYCFC send Josh Saunders to @OrlandoCitySC in exchange for 4th Round Superdraft pick https://t.co/M4u2X9uAMm
— New York City FC (@NYCFC) January 27, 2017
This move comes as no surprise. Saunders, who was the team’s starting goalkeeper for almost two full seasons, fell out of favor with head coach Patrick Vieira towards the end of the 2016 season and was eventually replaced by 6-foot-7 Norwegian keeper Eirik Johansen, who started the team’s final regular season game as well as both legs of their Eastern Conference semifinal against Toronto FC.