Ernst Tanner has not shied away from big moves since becoming Philadelphia Union’s Sporting Director. The club’s latest — trading David Accam to Columbus Crew in exchange for an important international roster spot and $500,000 in allocation money — sends a player that never fully got his footing in Philadelphia to a fresh start while bringing in resources that can be used to strengthen the Union squad in the summer. Thus far, the Union have made great use of their international spots, with Marco Fabián, Kai Wagner, and Sergio Santos all arriving in the offseason.
When the Union traded their entire set of 2019 MLS SuperDraft picks away, many wondered whether it was a rash move by someone new to the league or a piece of a longer-term plan.