Draft picks again used to compile cash in trade
The 2021 MLS SuperDraft will be the third for the Philadelphia Union since Ernst Tanner took the reins as sporting director.
It will be the third in which the Union won’t make a pick, and the groundwork on the fourth has been laid.
That was confirmed Tuesday with the Union shipping their two natural draft selections – No. 46 in the second round and No. 73 in the third – plus their first-round pick in 2022 to Nashville SC for allocation money that could total as much as $225,000.
The Union had previously traded their firstround pick, No. 19 overall, to Orlando City to acquire the rights to defender Nathan Harriel.
“Our philosophy is, and continues to be, focused on our academy pipeline as a source for cultivating young talent for our first team,” Tanner said in a team statement. “As we see two homegrown players continue on to European leagues and 10 total homegrowns on our 2021 roster, we’ve proven that our model and allocation of resources works.”
It’s hard to argue with the methodology of the Supporters’ Shield holders. The club has more than $10 million to spend after selling Homegrowns Brendan Aaronson and Mark McKenzie to Austria’s Red Bull Salzburg and Belgian club KRC Genk, respectively. In replacing two members of the MLS Best XI, Tanner is looking for starters, not projects, and the cash from Nashville will help fund that.
Of the money, $50,000 will come up front. The other $175,000 is conditional on the draft picks hitting performance metrics.
In 2019, Tanner traded five picks to FC Cincinnati for $150,000. The 2020 selections were doled out piecemeal, the secondrounder landing backup goalie Joe Bendik from Columbus. The club passed on its third- and fourth-round picks last year. This year’s draft is three rounds.
The Union have plenty of young players in the stable. Anthony Fontana, Matt Real and Matt Freese each had their moments last year and will step into larger roles. Cole Turner and Jack de Vries, signed before the 2020 season, were used sparingly. The Union added five Homegrown players as of Jan. 1: Harriel, plus midfielders Paxten Aaronson, Jack McGlynn, Brandan Craig and Quinn Sullivan.