Expect a sedate summer in the transfer market
CHESTER » Big changes are not coming to the Philadelphia Union this summer.
That may not come as a surprise, since the Union have neither the glaring needs nor the funds to finance big moves. But that doesn’t erase that chance for any action, Ernst Tanner said Friday.
“We have a little bit of GAM (General Allowance Money), but not too much,” the Union sporting director said. “We cannot do big deals in summer. That’s just not possible. But we can do quite a few deals, for reasonable money, like always, and improve our roster.”
Luckily for Tanner, a club that is in third place in the East and has run in the top three spots most of the first half of 2022 doesn’t require big deals. Any additions, as is the mantra of a tight-fisted club that builds from within, have to be the right ones. Without a clear place in the starting lineup for anyone new and the risk of upsetting the chemistry it has built … let’s just say, the Union aren’t in the market for any Gareth Bales.
But the Union could add along the edges of the squad.
The team has roster flexibility, in terms of senior roster spots and international spots. They also have an open designated player spot, not that that means around Chester what it means in other front offices. As a datadriven club, Tanner is skeptical of high-price midseason exports (see the contrast between Daniel Gazdag’s production last year, when fatigued from a full European season, and this year). For a team seeking the most bang for its limited buck, that might not be it.
But in the same breath, Tanner mentioned that the need for depth is, “across the roster. The only position that we are really stable at the moment is the goalkeeping position.”
Scoring goals is the Union’s issue, as they possess the stingiest defense in MLS. They’ve reinforced the forward line by signing Chris Donovan off Union II, a fortuitous move Tanner is bullish about.
“You never can have enough strikers, but we got lucky with Chris Donovan, who is doing really good development,” Tanner said. “No one was supposing that he could be a part of it so quick, and he could be an important piece in particular.”
The Union could get a little cash this summer with outgoing moves. Neither Jack de Vries nor Matej Oravec have been in Chester for the last year, on loan to clubs in Italy and Slovakia, respectively. Tanner declined to comment on either, which suggest they may be in the final stages of permanent moves.
The Union’s coffers aren’t as full as you’d expect. Though they stand to make a percentage of transfer fees for former players Brenden Aaronson and Auston Trusty, those amounts are not immediate, given how transfer fees are amortized over the length of contracts. Any sell-on percentage is a net measurement is over the initial fee, and the Union were paid in the initial tranches (from Red Bull Salzburg, particularly) a large enough fee that the sellon amount wouldn’t be included until later payments. Thus, Tanner is not factoring those funds into this summer, and the Union lack the financial wherewithal to spend money before it’s in their bank accounts. “We are not in a position where we could sign players and then wait until somebody moves out,” is how Tanner put it.
So where does that leave them? Tanner could probably live with five strikers for two spots, once Sergio Santos returns, and the goalie depth. He hinted at wanting to sure up the defense if someone is lured away by the promise of more playing time; though he didn’t explicitly name him, that likely refers to Stuart Findlay, who rebuffed loan offers last summer and has played only nine league games (six starts) including playoffs in 18 months. If the midfield gets a boost, it would have to be someone at the right price point who fits the Union’s counterattacking style and doesn’t undermine the locker-room vibe.
That means Tanner knows who his biggest summer addition is likely to be: “The best improvement,” he said, “will come back from Honduras soon.”
That’s a reference to the four United States Under-20s — Quinn Sullivan, Jack McGlynn, Paxten Aaronson and Brandan Craig — that have helped the U.S. qualify for the Under-20 World Cup and
played late Friday for a spot at the 2024 Olympics. The Union have missed them in recent weeks, the lifeless 1-0 loss in Chicago Wednesday night a particular example where fresh legs would’ve helped. Sullivan, McGlynn and Aaronson have all contributed goals in the tournament.
The catch, though, is that trio has no goals and no assists in 471 MLS minutes this year.
Tanner allowed that while interest has risen in all four players, the club is not interested in selling them until their established with the Union, which is their general policy. No one has stepped up in their absence —
Curtin made just one sub in Sunday’s 2-1 win over New York City FC and three at Chicago — so the biggest lesson learned without the Homegrowns is just how much the Union need them.
“We learned already how important they are, because we are in this moment, missing options to start them,” Tanner said. “This is the period of the year, when it gets so busy, that you play on two day’s rest … and if you have the option to rest one of our guys who are playing all the time and bring in fresh legs, in particular with the quality our young boys have, then we certainly would opt for that.”