Ernst Tanner has made his next move in the 2024 offseason, as he looks to continue building his Union side up for the upcoming season.
Union announces the signing of Markus Anderson
It was announced this morning (Monday, January 29th) that the Union has officially signed 20-year-old attacker Markus Anderson from CF Rayo Majadahonda to a three-year contract through 2026, with a club option through 2028.
Before moving to Spain, Anderson began his youth career in New York with Manhattan Kickers FC. He then played in the fifth division of Spain with Club Deportivo Básico Paracuellos Antamira, where he was able to score 10 goals and provide 4 assists in his 29 appearances. Anderson then made the move to Rayo Majadahonda, where he spent some time in their U19 squad, before making his debut with the first team in 2023. Anderson would go on to score three goals in 18 appearances with the first team of Rayo Majadahonda.
What does Markus Anderson bring to the Union?
The signing is similar to a lot of the signings in the Ernst Tanner era, where the player is a young, promising talent from a club that not a lot of people know. But, Anderson is definitely a player that supporters should keep an eye on for in the future.
He is an attacker who has a lot of pace on him, and he was even scouted by Real Madrid’s academy, La Fábrica. Anderson will most likely be a depth player for the club to start off, as the club’s attacker depth includes Mikael Uhre, Julian Carranza, and Tai Baribo. But with the uncertainty of how long Carranza will remain with the Union, it is smart of Tanner to bring in some young talent to build up the depth of the position.
“Markus, who holds US citizenship, is a very physical and quick striker. After initially playing in the fifth division in Spain, he was able to quickly progress to the third division where he has been performing well at a very young age. He is another great example of how adept our scouting department is at identifying talent and we look forward to integrating him as quickly as possible with the team.”
Ernst Tanner on new signing Markus Anderson
Be sure to return to Philly Sports Network for more Philadelphia Union and other soccer content!
Follow our Union team on Twitter:
Tim Lovenguth | Justin Friedberg | Jimmy King
Eric Frysinger | Paul Frenzel | Liam Jenkins
Zach LoBasso | Steve Beavon | Griffin Foll
Doop on Union fans!
Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire & Philadelphia Union