Union set to pay second-highest transfer fee for versatile Hungarian Dániel Gazdag

Over the past month, there have been rumors swirling around Philadelphia Union’s interest in Hungarian attacking midfielder Dániel Gazdag. On Monday (May 10, 2021) reports came out that the Union is set to pay $1.82 million for the versatile attacking player! This would be the second-highest transfer fee the Union ever paid for a player, and Gazdag seems to be worth the price tag.

Union re-up contracted players — Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire

Second-highest transfer fee in club history!

At a $1.82M transfer fee, @PhilaUnion acquisition of Daniel Gazdag is 2nd highest fee paid in team history. Only Jamiro Monteiro fee of $1.98M exceeds Gazdag’s fee. With Hungary likely out of the Euros after the first round, a July arrival seems most probable for his Union career
— Union Rumors (@UnionRumors) May 10, 2021

Here’s a look at why the Union is reportedly set to pay the second-highest transfer fee for Dániel Gazdag, what could bring to Philly and when we could see him play for the Union should the signing be made official!

Gritty, creative and Versatile presence

Gazdag Dániel Goals & Assists 2020/21 Budapest Honvéd https://t.co/TAqFuzSuYr via @YouTube
— Union Rumors (@UnionRumors) April 22, 2021

Dániel Gazdag is the perfect player for the Philadelphia Union he is gritty, creative and versatile. He checks off all of the Union’s Philadelphia Union Value metrics the club uses to evaluate its players. Let’s start by looking at Gazdag’s grit.

Dániel played 30 matches for Hungarian side Honvéd this season. He started all 30 matches and went a full 90 minutes 23 times. This dude is dedicated to his team, is fit, and gives his all every time he steps on the pitch. He will fit in perfectly on this squad because of that grit alone, but it’s no the only quality he possesses!

Gazdag is a creative force on the attacking side of the ball. He’s shifty and can link play up and can create for his teammates and himself. No matter where he is in the attack, he will either be putting the ball in the back of the net or finding the right player to pass to create a dangerous opportunity. In the 2020/2021 season for Honvéd, he scored 13 goals and tallied 8 assists. That’s not too shabby for a 30 game season. He is definitely a creative and gritty player, but that’s not all.

In the 30 matches he played for his club this season, Gazdag has played in three different positions. He played 15 times as a central attacking midfielder (CAM), 14 times as a center forward and once as a left midfielder. This is the type of versatility the Union needs and looks for in their players. If you were wondering how he produced while shifting around in these different positions, Dániel scored six goals and notched four assists from the CAM spot, while scoring seven times and assisting on four goals when playing striker.

Gazdag is the quintessential Union player. His grit, creativity and versatility make him very valuable. This is why Union sporting director Ernst Tanner is reportedly going to pay $1.82 million for him. Should the deal get done soon, when could we see Dániel Gazdag in blue and gold?

When could Gazdag play for the Union?

The Philadelphia Union have completed the acquisition of attacking midfielder Daniel Gazdag from Honved, sources tell MLSsoccer. Done deal. Fee will be around $1.8m.

Gazdag, 25, is a Hungarian int'l and was one of the best players in his league. 13g/6a in 30 games this year.
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) May 10, 2021

It’s obvious that Dániel Gazdag would be a contributor to this Union team. His grit, creativity and versatility would instantly make the Union better should he lineup on the field with the current roster. But when could that happen should the signing be made official by the club?

Gazdag played his final match for Hungarian side Honvéd this past weekend; he reportedly said his goodbye to teammates after the match. Could this mean that the signing will be made official soon? Maybe! However, that doesn’t mean that he’ll be on a plane to Philadelphia this coming weekend.

If the signing is completed, it will likely take some time to get all of the paperwork done to allow him to come to the US. The Union saw this happen with center-back Stuart Findlay. On top of that, Gazdag will likely be with the Hungarian national team for the European Championship which kicks off in June.

Hungary is drawn in a group with France, Germany and Portugal in Group F. That final group game takes place on June 23rd. So, should Gazdag be with Hungary but not advance to the knockout rounds he could likely be on his way to training in Chester in July. However, he did just play a full European season and will be coming off of an international tournament. He may need some recovery time before he’s able to be a normal contributor for Philly.

I’d think he’d take about a month to gel with the team and make the bench in late July. Then once he’s fully acclimated and assessed, he could likely be that “big money signing” starting and impacting matches come August!