Additon of Flach provides midfield depth
CHESTER » The Union’s second signing of a sedate 2021 offseason will require no waiting to make an impact.
The Union signed 20-year-old midfielder Leon Flach from German 2.Bundesliga club St. Pauli Wednesday, and the American-born player was in Chester for a friendly against D.C. United later that afternoon.
Flach was signed for an undisclosed transfer fee, rumored to be around $250,000, and signed to a two-year deal with club options for the third and fourth year. He was born in Humble, Texas but moved to Germany before his second birthday and is a dual citizen. He joined the St. Pauli academy at age 15 and has risen through the ranks, signing with the first team last July. Flach made nine appearances for the club and scored his first goal in January.
Flach has represented Germany at the U-18 level and took part in a United States U-20s camp in January 2020.
“I think it was always an idea I had to come back one day” to the United States, Flach said via an introductory Zoom. “I think the indications from the Philadelphia Union is that it’s really attractive, especially for young players. I have a great respect for (the Union) and it should be the next step in my career.”
The Flack signing fits with other recent business. They’ve dealt with St. Pauli before, acquiring Fafa Picault several years ago. Ernst Tanner has plucked talents like Kai Wagner and Kacper Przybylko from the lower reaches of the German soccer pyramid with great success.
Flach also fits the emphasis on youth. At 20, he’s got plenty of room to grow. Tanner prizes his versatility as a left-footer who has played left back but is primarily a central midfielder, either as the holding mid at the base of the diamond or on either side of it. Given his pedigree, Tanner called him “tactically quite well-developed,” which is why the club has tracked him for more than a year.
“We see Leon as a real good addition, a welcomed addition who can cover a lot of spots,” Tanner said. “He’s maybe not even a depth piece.”
An important part of the equation is that Flach is American. The Union endured a lengthy ordeal, from Scotland via Poland, to get their other offseason signing, Stuart Findlay, finally into the country this week, a month after he was signed. Flach skipped all the hassle over visas with his citizenship.
While Flach isn’t terribly familiar with the Union, he’s gotten the customary primer – on the trophy won last year, on the emphasis on youth, on the high-pressing style. News like that travels fast in the soccer community, and it helped convince Flach to make the move.
“I think it’s a really good fit, pressing high to put the opponent under pressure,” he said. “I think it fits really good with how I play and how I want to play. I think the transition game fits really good with what I like about football. … I saw that if I would come here, I would develop myself and be able to win trophies as well. I think it’s a club who gives a young player a chance, and that’s what I’m looking for and why I’m here.”
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Flach and Findlay both played the final 15 or so minutes in a 2-0 friendly win over D.C. United at rainy Subaru Park.
Anthony Fontana scored both goals in the first half, just the second and third the Union have in four preseason games. The first came in the third minute, tucking a rebound past Union original Chris Seitz after Fontana’s attempted through ball to Paxten Aaronson was blocked. Quinn Sullivan and Aaronson combined to get the ball to Fontana just before halftime to volley home in the box. Fontana later hit the post, and Kai Wagner rang the woodwork on a penalty attempt in the second half.
Five Homegrowns — Fontana, Aaronson and Sullivan as a rotating front three, plus Jack McGlynn and Nathan Harriel — started. Jose Martinez (knee) played the first 45 minutes in his return from injury.