"We're convinced that Christian wants to play in MLS and return home. And whenever that happens, we think and hope that New York City will be at the top of the list of teams he'd want to play for," Sims told amNewYork.
Pulisic's contract with AC Milan runs until 2027, and reports have suggested NYCFC tabled an offer of around $10m for his registration, a figure Milan do not consider adequate. Sims made clear the club's stance if Milan refuse to sell.
"If Milan doesn't want to let him go, then the negotiation is closed," he said, before addressing the broader appeal the winger holds in MLS. "Would we like to have him? Yes. Would any MLS team want to have him? I'm pretty sure the answer would be yes."
Pulisic, 27, has been at Milan since 2023 after arriving for a fee of €20.8m, and has made 134 appearances for the Rossoneri, scoring 42 goals and providing 27 assists.
After a strong start to last season under previous head coach Massimiliano Allegri, he endured a dip in form throughout 2026 in which he struggled to find the net. Despite being the biggest star in the USA national team, Pulisic has never played in MLS, moving to Borussia Dortmund in Germany before he had even turned 17 and making his Bundesliga debut while still a teenager.
New York City's interest is not limited to Pulisic. According to Tuttosport, the club has also begun exploring a move for Romelu Lukaku, whose future at Napoli remains one of the most heated subplots of the club's transfer window.
The Belgium forward took a short family holiday after the World Cup but has since been in regular contact with his entourage over his next destination, and did not join Napoli's pre-season training camp in Dimaro, with his future looking increasingly distant from the club. Napoli, mindful of Lukaku's gross salary of around €12m per season, are ready to listen to offers.
A return remains possible in theory, but would require Lukaku to convince head coach Massimiliano Allegri he remains indispensable, or to accept a significant pay cut. In the meantime, suitors are not in short supply: Fenerbahce continue to monitor the situation in Turkey, though the arrival of Mason Greenwood could yet change their calculations, while Monaco and Ajax have also made past enquiries without turning interest into concrete talks.
Lukaku's performances at the World Cup have only heightened his international appeal, with NYCFC among several MLS clubs reportedly considering a move for another marquee European name.