Philly Leader

Major League Soccer's secondary transfer window opened on Thursday, July 18, and Union fans witnessed Sporting Director Ernst Tanner's plans as the club signed forward Samuel Adeniran from St. Louis City SC.

Adeniran, a 6-foot-4 Texas-born 25-year-old, has joined the team through 2024 after playing in Europe, USL Championship, and Major League Soccer. He recently scored 10 goals in 35 appearances for St. Louis.

Following three days with the club that included watching a game from a stadium suite, physicals, media activities, and introductory training sessions, Adeniran played 29 minutes in Saturday’s match against Nashville SC. He impressed with his size and speed during the team's 3-0 win.

“Sam came into the game and I thought influenced it in a big way,” Head Coach Jim Curtin said postgame. “You see how good he is and how strong he is in the air. He has the speed to get in behind. Could have had a couple goals, but we’ll save those for the 1-0 wins rather than the 4-0s at the end of the game.”

With playoffs still possible despite recent challenges, Adeniran's addition strengthens Union's chances for a strong late-season performance. Tanner revealed that he had been monitoring Adeniran since his time playing in Germany four years ago.

“We are tracking all American players over the globe," Tanner said. "He was playing at a club close to where one of our scouts was based. The scout told me about him."

Tanner continued: “It looked interesting but at that time he wasn't ready for MLS. But he moved to Seattle’s second team and then to an expansion club [St. Louis City], making significant progress. I have been following him closely since last summer as a potential replacement for Julian.”

Describing what stood out during his scouting of Adeniran, Tanner noted: "He's very quick, very agile, very athletic... Also he's a good header."

Adeniran’s transition has been smooth so far; his older brother is a Villanova Law alum who offered him accommodation, providing family support as he begins this new chapter in Philadelphia.

Sage Hurley - Digital Club Reporter @sagehurley__

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