NYCFC Sign Malmo Right Back Anton Tinnerholm

Update: NYCFC officially announced the signing of Tinnerholm on December 13th.

New York City FC have signed 26-year-old Swedish right-back Anton Tinnerholm from Malmo. Tinnerholm has 7 international appearances for Sweden, the last of which came in January of 2017.

Tinnerholm plays at right back but has the ability to play further up the pitch. His attacking ability would make him a good fit for Patrick Vieira’s system where the fullbacks press up the flanks. Tinnerholm’s contract is expiring at the end of the year so NYCFC will avoid paying a transfer fee for the defender who is set to join the club for January pre-season.

Malmo has won the Allsvenskan league the last two consecutive seasons but failed to qualify for the Champions League after losing 2-4 on aggregate to Macedonian club Vardar earlier this year.

NYCFC is expected to go on a spending spree this offseason following another season of roster turnover and an infusion of $4 million in Allocation money from MLS.

Positional Fight

NYCFC announced in November that it had declined contract options on all three of its right backs: RJ Allen, Andraz Struna and Ethan White. Ethan White had become a lock at the position for most of the 2017 season before the club signed Andraz Struna in the stretch run. With NYCFC  parting with all three right backs one was led to believe they had someone lined up to take the position and it appears that man is Tinnerholm.

NYCFC confirmed the signing on December 13th.