The Philadelphia Union made one of the most significant moves of their recent history by announcing the signing of 20 year old Ghanaian forward Ezekiel Alladoh. The club confirmed a deal through 2028, with options for 2029 and 2030, in a transfer that involves the highest fee the team has ever paid, estimated at 4.5 million dollars.
Alladoh arrives with Carnell’s full backing
Alladoh comes to MLS after spending a season with IF Brommapojkarna in Sweden’s top division. There, he scored 8 goals and added 1 assist in 32 matches. Before that, he came through at Accra Lions in Ghana, where he recorded 3 goals and 1 assist in 13 games. It’s a short career so far, but it shows a player who changed environments twice in a short span and still managed to stay productive.
Bradley Carnell, the Union’s head coach and winner of the 2025 MLS Coach of the Year award, introduced the signing with direct praise for the forward’s qualities. In his words, Alladoh is a “young, talented forward” who has shown “encouraging potential in a competitive European league”. With his vertical movement and 1.90 meter frame, the coach also said the Ghanaian’s work rate and mentality “fit perfectly” within the team’s system and that the club is excited to support him as he continues developing his game.
The Union’s competitive landscape creates an interesting starting point
The Philadelphia Union are coming off a strong MLS season. They won the 2025 Supporters’ Shield with 66 points in Carnell’s first year in charge, even though they were eliminated by New York City FC in the Eastern Conference semifinals. The overall performance was positive.
In attack, the Union had Tai Baribo as their top scorer with 16 goals, followed by Bruno Damiani, signed before the season, with seven. Another relevant point is the contract situation of Mikael Uhre, who had been a designated player and is currently out of contract. That means there’s genuine room for competition in the offensive group.
Alladoh joins exactly in this setting, with a competitive squad and open spots. Any evaluation of his impact can only rely on what he has already shown on the field, but the context gives him real opportunities to grow. As the most expensive signing in Union history, the young Ghanaian will naturally draw attention, though not a manufactured level of pressure. What’s known is what appears in the numbers, the coach’s statements and the club’s official decisions. From there, Alladoh will have the chance to carve out his own place in a team that has already shown it can compete at the top of MLS.