TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
The Philadelphia Union have acquired striker Mikael Uhre from Danish side Brøndby IF, the club announced Thursday. Uhre, a 27-year-old Designated Player, signed a contract through 2024 with a club option for 2025.
Uhre won the Danish Superliga Golden Boot last season with 21 goals and six assists in 34 all-competition appearances. He was named the league's Player of the Year as well and made his debut for Denmark's national team last November in a World Cup Qualifier against Scotland.
Uhre arrives from Brøndby for a club-record $2.8 million transfer fee, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jonathan Tannenwald.
“We have been following Mikael for some time as he has developed and risen through the Danish Superliga, and we are excited to complete this deal to bring him to the Union,” sporting director Ernst Tanner said in a release.
“We are always looking for ways to improve the quality of our roster and we believe Mikael, having become a top player in Denmark, is a good fit for our system and will be an integral piece in our continued growth as a club. We are looking forward to welcoming him as we build on the success of last year and turn our attention to the 2022 season.”
Uhre is the second Brøndby player transferred to MLS in recent years, with Nashville SC acquiring 2021 MLS MVP finalist Hany Mukhtar from the Danish club ahead of their expansion season in 2020.
The move continues a busy offseason for the Union, who traded forward Kacper Przybylko to Chicago Fire FC and had already signed forward Julian Carranza on loan from Inter Miami CF as a Young DP. Joining incumbent midfielder Jamiro Monteiro, the move fills all three of the Union's DP spots.
Philadelphia made the Eastern Conference Final last year, losing to New York City FC but performing admirably despite being without roughly a dozen players due to a COVID-19 outbreak. They also made the semifinal of the 2021 Concacaf Champions League before falling to Liga MX's Club America.
The Union open their 2022 season on Feb. 26 when hosting Minnesota United FC at Subaru Park.
