February 4 – Beginning in January, Major League Soccer (MLS) began allowing teams within the league to trade players for cash. Houston Dynamo FC wasted no time in opening up their wallets to acquire Philadelphia Union midfielder Jack McGlynn (pictured) in the first cash-for-homegrown player trade.
Philadelphia will receive $2.1m in guaranteed money and also retain a sell-on percentage of any future transfer. Additionally, the Union could receive a further $1.3m if McGlynn meets designated performance milestones.
This trade is the first for a homegrown player. Previously, deals had to involve general allocation money or other assets but not straight cash.
The highly-rated McGlynn has made over 100 appearances for the Union since making his debut in 2021. He also made his international debut for the United States earlier this year, scoring and assisting in a friendly against Venezuela.
“Jack is one of the bright, young American talents in both MLS and the U.S. national team player pool, and we look forward to his continued development in Houston,” commented Pat Onstad, the Dynamo’s president of soccer. “We expect him to thrive in our possession-oriented style of play, as Jack’s strengths match the attributes that we value in our central midfielders.”
Ernst Tanner, Philadelphia’s sport director, said of McGlynn: “We want to thank Jack for his dedication and contributions to the team, both on and off the field. Over the past three years, he has been a key part of our midfield and we are incredibly proud of his growth.
“At this time, we believe this move is best for both the club and for Jack, allowing us to use the significant proceeds to reinvest and refine our roster, while placing him in an environment suited to his style of play and continued development.”
With this development, MLS is truly falling in line with the rest of the world in terms of inter-club transfer fees. With the league slated to move to the world calendar, following the 2026 World Cup, transfers of this kind will soon become the norm, not the exception.
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