NYCFC midfielder James Sands underwent surgery to repair a complex right ankle injury involving a fractured fibula and a torn medial collateral ligament, the team announced Sunday.
The 24-year-old American suffered the injury while on loan with German Bundesliga side St. Pauli during Saturday’s match against Freiburg. He underwent the procedure at University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf in Hamburg, Germany, and will be out indefinitely.
Sands was loaned to St. Pauli in January—a deal that would run through June 30—before potentially returning to his MLS club. St. Pauli does have the option to extend the loan through the 2025-26 season if certain conditions are met, but the indefinite status of his injury likely eliminates any notion of that.
Sands made seven appearances for St. Pauli, which currently sits in 14th place within Germany’s top flight.
The move was Sands’ second notable loan to a European club. He spent parts of 2022-2023 with Scottish powerhouses Rangers, making 24 appearances.
The Rye, NY native has been on the cusp of the US National Team throughout his six seasons with NYCFC. Breaking in with the side during the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup, he has made 13 appearances over the last four years.
