While Philadelphia Union were dominating on the pitch and claiming the 2020 Supporters’ Shield, Sporting Director Ernst Tanner spent the season also signing the Union’s next generation of talent from the Union Academy with five new homegrowns joining the roster on January 1.
The first homegrown announced came on July 17th as the Union acquired the homegrown rights for outside back Nathan Harriel. The 19-year-old’s path to the first team started in 2018 when he joined the Academy after three years with Chargers Soccer Club in Clearwater, Florida. While he made 12 starts in the Academy, Harriel made an immediate impact on Philadelphia Union II’s lineup in 2019 with 23 appearances and 12 starts.