The Philadelphia Union are looking to turn the tide after a disappointing 2015 season, and made their first significant roster move on Monday.
The team announced they have acquired midfielder Chris Pontius from D.C. United in exchange for both general and targeted allocation money. Per club and league policy, additional terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We believe Chris is an excellent addition to our first team and organization,” Union technical director Chris Albright said in a statement. “His ability, experience and winning mentality will help lead our club in the right direction in 2016.”
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Pontius, 28, joined MLS in 2009 out of the University of California, Santa Barbara as the No. 7 overall draft pick. D.C. United’s longest-tenured player, Pontius scored 31 goals and had 17 assists during his seven seasons in the nation's capital. He won the US Open Cup with D.C. in 2013, and also helped lead United to the Eastern Conference regular season championship in 2014 and the top seed in CONCACAF Champions League in 2014-15. He’s played in six career MLS postseason games.
Among his accolades, he was named to the MLS All-Star Game and MLS Best XI in 2012, when he recorded a career-high 12 goals and added four assists. During the 2015 season, Pontius appeared in 23 games and started 17, notching three goals.
