There’s no sugarcoating it for New York City FC this season.

There is a ton of uncertainty surrounding NYCFC ahead of their Year 5 kickoff against Orlando City SC in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday (2:30 p.m., Univision).

NYCFC had a monumental task in replacing former captain and MLS MVP David Villa, who left the club for Japan at the end of last season. Embattled coach Domenec Torrent said it was impossible to replace Villa, who scored 77 goals in 117 regular-season matches across four seasons.

“There’s not really anything that needs to change,” midfielder Alex Ring, the team’s new captain, told The Post recently. “Maybe the only difference now is we share the load on more shoulders than just one.”

NYCFC have not signed a natural striker. But Torrent — who derailed NYCFC’s MLS Cup hopes when he took over for Patrick Vieira last June (8-7-4 record following Vieira’s departure for OGC Nice) — is confident NYCFC will be able to match Villa’s scoring production with a slew of attacking wingers who fit his 4-3-3 formation. He’s relying on underperforming holdovers from last year in Valentin Castellanos, Jesus Medina and possibly United States international Jonathan Lewis.

“[They’re] not the typical striker, you know,” Torrent said recently. “It’s better for us when we have two different strikers [with] different qualities.”

One of the new pillars in NYCFC’s attack will be Alexandru Mitrita, who became the sixth Designated Player in club history when he signed for a reported $8.5 million fee from Romanian club Universitatea Craiova. The lofty transfer fee is the most NYCFC ever has spent on a player and ranks among the highest in MLS history.

Mitrita, 24, is an attacking-minded winger who brings Swiss Army Knife-like versatility, which he showed in preseason by playing wide and at forward. His ability to keep the ball close to his feet and carve up defenders has garnered comparisons to ex-Toronto FC forward Sebastian Giovinco and Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho.

NYCFC also had to replace midfielder Yangel Herrera, who spent the past two years on loan from Manchester City. When Herrera was out with injury for much of last season, NYCFC struggled to find the bridge between its defense and attack. They believe they’ve found replacements in young American additions Keaton Parks, a 21-year-old on loan from Portuguese giants Benfica, and Juan Pablo Torres, a 19-year-old who signed from Lokeren in Belgium.

The club also retained midfielder Ebenezer Ofori for another season and has homegrown product James Sands, 18, who many feel can be a consistent contributor after promising cameos last season. They also signed 17-year-old Brooklyn product Justin Haak to their third-ever homegrown contract.

Attracting youth was an intentionally different philosophy from years past, according to Torrent.

“We decided to sign young players who we want to stay with us,” Torrent said. “We need players who want to come play in MLS, not who want to retire here. It’s a big mistake if you think like that.”

NYCFC didn’t change one bit on defense. Aside from the addition of Tony Rocha, who also provides coverage in the midfield, NYCFC will roll with the same back line of Ben Sweat and Anton Tinnerholm at the outside back positions and Alexander Callens and Maxime Chanot extending their partnership at center back for a third straight season.

Costa Rican international Ronald Matarrita and NYCFC academy product Joe Scally are expected to provide additional depth. Torrent thinks highly of Scally, just 16, and said he will be a first-team player.

Offensive MVP: Alexandru Mitrita

The record-breaking signing is a relative unknown, but Mitrita bagged 12 goals in just 16 games with Craiova this season. If NYCFC expects to make the playoffs, it’s going to depend on Mitrita’s production.

Defensive MVP: Alex Ring

He was an MLS All-Star last season before re-signing to stay long-term in The Bronx. NYCFC’s new captain is a natural leader who often helps the team keep its shape, and his never-give-up mentality often fuels others.

New player to watch: Keaton Parks

The 21-year-old was considered a top American prospect abroad before joining on loan. He appeared six times for Benfica’s senior team last year, and Parks is desperate to show what he can do at a top level. His offensive abilities and defensive versatility make him one of the more intriguing players at NYCFC.

Biggest question mark: Domenec Torrent

Though the front office has given him their backing, Torrent has to prove he can win in The Bronx. After NYCFC won its first-ever playoff game, their performance in the conference semifinals against Atlanta United showed how far NYCFC had fallen under Torrent. NYCFC might play more elegantly with Torrent, but results matter. He has to prove he’s a capable coach and not simply living off his résumé. (Other nominees: Jesus Medina and Jonathan Lewis).