According to reports from Give Me Sport’s Tom Bogert, the Philadelphia Union have agreed to a cash-for-player trade that would send the club’s all-time leading goal scorer, Daniel Gazdag, to the Columbus Crew just seven games into the 2025 season.
Since joining the Union during the 2021 season, Daniel Gazdag has been a vital piece to the Union’s attack, notching 72 goals and 24 assists in 161 total games across all competitions and passing club legend Sébastien Le Toux as the Union’s all-time leading goal scorer across all comps in the 2024 season.
In addition to being one of the most consistent goal-scorers in Major League Soccer across the previous 4 1/2 seasons, Daniel Gazdag has been an extremely reliable name on the Union’s team sheet. He played in at least 30 regular-season matches in each of his 3 full seasons in MLS and averaged 42.3 games played per season during that span.
The deal to move Gazdag out of Philly comes during a transitional period for the Union. Since the sacking of Jim Curtin last fall, Philly has already bid farewell to Jack Elliott, Jack McGlynn, and Leon Flach in exchange for players and a manager who better fit Ernst Tanner’s system moving forward.
How Gazdag’s move benefits the Union
Gazdag, in the final guaranteed year of his contract (Option for 2026), is likely looking for a pay raise with any new deal he signs, given his consistent offensive production since joining MLS in 2021, scoring 43 goals in the previous three seasons.
With a Guaranteed Compensation of just $1,757,500, Gazdag ‘s case for more money is probably a justified one, but if you’re the Philadelphia Union – a team looking to get younger and more aligned with Ernst Tanner’s Red Bull system – cashing in on Daniel Gazdag might make sense, even if it disgruntles some of the fan base.
Not all will be upset by his departure, though. While an ever-threatening presence in the box, ranking in the 92nd percentile in Non-Penalty Goals, some have shared the opinion that Gazdag’s game didn’t quite fit the type of #10 Philadelphia wants in their system. He ranked low amongst midfielders in stats like Assists (43rd percentile), Shot-Creating Actions (58th percentile), Progressive Carriers (13th percentile), and Successful Take-Ons (12th Percentile).
While no official fee has been reported yet, the deal for Gazdag will give the Union not only a decent chunk of cash in their pocket but also open up a Designated Player spot for Ernst Tanner to retool the team with a player who better fits their system.
Of course, Gazdag’s departure opens up more playing time for someone like 15-year-old Cavan Sullivan, whom Philly is still working on developing before his move to Manchester City in a few years—though I hope Cavan isn’t the sole solution to Gazdag’s departure for Ernst Tanner and the Union. That’s a lot to ask of a kid trying to grow into his game with a lot on his plate as is.
Letting Go of Gazdag
Letting go of your all-time leading goal scorer to a conference rival seven games into what most people would consider a strong start to the season is going to be a big hole to fill and a hard pill to swallow for many fans until they’re given something new to wash it down with.
The deal to ship out Daniel Gazdag makes sense when you think about the way Ernst Tanner and the Union have carried out their game plan since the firing of Jim Curtin. While it might not be a favorable move amongst fans at the moment, the start to the 2025 season has reinforced Ernst Tanner’s idea that going all in on a clear-cut approach will get the team and the fans what should matter most – results. We’ll have to see what Ernst Tanner has in store.
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