by DAVE MARTINEZ

George John’s name was on the New York City FC roster page all season long. He appeared in every media guide from the first match of the season to the very last. He trained with the club at their Purchase complex. His health was continuously updated in press conferences throughout the season. He was even with the team during their club signing event at the adidas store this summer.

But George John was never officially a member of New York City FC.

As EoS has learned, NYCFC’s claim to John goes so far as holding his rights within MLS. He was never an NYCFC player. He was not under contract. He did not draw a salary from NYCFC. He didn’t draw a salary from City Football Group, either. He did not occupy a roster spot. He never appeared on either the Spring or Fall salary releases from the player’s union — and his name was omitted from the team’s roster release this past Friday.

Instead of a steady salary and a spot on the club’s roster, John’s stay at NYCFC was compensated through team-provided medical attention and team-funded housing.

How did this arrangement come about?

Well, John was picked up by NYCFC during the 2014 expansion draft; one of ten players to be picked up by the organization on the day to be exact. He was made available for the expansion draft thanks to FC Dallas, whom declined to pick up his option year.

Nine of the ten players selected at the draft moved on to sign contracts with NYCFC. John was a different story.

NYCFC took a risk in drafting the injured defender. He missed the entirety of the 2014 season due to a knee injury — one that would eventually require an osteoplasty of the medial femur of his knee in July of that very year.

While John was in no state to play at the start of the 2015 season, NYCFC were drawn in by the possibility of his acquisition. After all, John is a former MLS All Star and a vibrant defensive talent; one that garnered much attention from foreign markets. In the eyes of the organization, John was a low-risk, high-reward opportunity; a player that represented a chance to acquire one of the best MLS talents at a bargain basement price.

Once in New York, however, it became clear that John’s health was worse than originally feared. Aspects of his original treatment were misdiagnosed, setting John’s recovery back further than either he or NYCFC expected.

As a consequence, John was not offered a contract by the March 1st, 2015 roster deadline date.

But NYCFC were not ready to give up on John just yet. After all, they own the player’s rights and a healthy John would go a long way in shoring up their thin defensive line.

NYCFC offered the towering centerback a unique proposal. The club would not offer John a contract on the season. However, they offered him living arrangements and full access to their medical team and staff with the hopes that the one-time All Star could peacefully recover and, perhaps, bolster their defense sometime during the season.

Clearly, things did not go according to plan. John spent the entire 2015 season on recovery, unable to make even a single bench appearance for the club.

John’s situation is a puzzling one. New York City FC clearly presented him as a rostered player throughout the season. Likewise, MLS did not correct that designation — even as they continued to include John’s name in each and every NYCFC media game day guide from the start of the year to the last game against New England.

So why was John listed as an NYCFC player if he was never under contract or rostered? And why didn’t MLS step in to correct the situation? That is a mystery; about as mysterious as a player joining a club at zero salary (though it is worth noting: John was paid over $300k a season during his time with Dallas which could have helped ease the blow).

EoS contacted the league about John’s employment situation. The response? John was “selected in the expansion draft, but was not rostered” by the club by the March 1st deadline. That, of course, does little to answer why his name was omnipresent with NYCFC all season long.

Now, John’s future remains up in the air. There is no indication whether he will continue his healing arrangement with NYCFC through 2016, though it would seem unlikely at this point. Several sources tell EoS that early retirement may also be an option for the 27-year-old centerback.

John is also currently out of contract with MLS, further muddying the future of one of Major League Soccer’s brightest defensive stars.