James Sands has returned to New York City FC, cutting his loan at Rangers short and signing a new contract through 2027 with the MLS club.
Sands joined Rangers in January 2022 on an 18-month loan but after the 22-year-old fell out of favor in Scotland, he’s returned to his parent club four months early.
“The opportunity to return to NYCFC for the start of the MLS season, where he will be a key player in their squad, was something that we felt was correct for all parties,” Rangers manager Michael Beale said in a club release.
The Daily Record reported that Rangers opted against paying a £4 million fee to sign Sands at the end of the current season.
Sands made 41 appearances for Rangers during his time with the club, rotating in and out of the starting lineup and playing both center back and defensive midfield.
The 22-year-old was NYCFC’s first-ever Homegrown signing in 2017, and went on to make 76 appearances for the club before his move to Scotland. Sands has also been capped seven times by the U.S. national team, all of which came in 2021.
In a club release, NYCFC sporting director David Lee said that Sands still harbors ambitions to return to Europe.
“It was a priority for us to try and ensure James returned to New York this season,” Lee said. “Despite opportunities to continue his career in Europe, we are pleased that we’ve been able to reach an agreement on a new contract and convince James that this is the right place for his continued career progression. We know James’ ambition remains to play at the highest levels in Europe and we will continue to support him with his career aspirations.”
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