Photo Marjorie Elzey

The Philadelphia Union announced Monday morning that Jack McGlynn had been traded from Philadelphia to the Houston Dynamo for $2.1 million dollars cash (not allocation money), plus add-ons based on performance that could total an additional $1.3 million depending on performance, and a 50% sell-on fee. (Such fees will be split 60:20:20 with New York Red Bull and New York City FC since McGlynn was signed by Philadelphia as a homegrown player from within those two clubs’ homegrown territory).

In the Byzantine MLS taxonomy, McGlynn was probably classified as a Homegrown Subsidy player by the end of his time in Philadelphia. He will be a U22 Initiative player in Houston, their fourth for 2025. Houston’s general manager said he would fit their possession-based style of play well. To some degree he may be a candidate to replace departed Mexican star and former Houston captain Hector Herrera.

July 19^th is a date to note, as that is when Philadelphia will visit Houston this season. The discussion of the McGlynn trade available at this link explains a great deal. (Click here.)

Jovan Lukic?

In a rumor that may connect to the McGlynn sale, Jose Nunez (@JoserNunez91) has reported that Jovan Lukic, a central midfielder from Spartak Subotica of the Serbian Super League (Serbia’s top flight) is finalizing a deal to come to the Union. Like McGlynn, Lukic is a midfielder. @UnionRumors also reports the deal, including links to Spartak Subotica’s own website. Spartak’s own article makes it sound like a done deal, if the google translation of the Serbian text into English is trustworthy.

Subotica says it will receive a transfer fee of 600,000 Euros, which is slightly south of $622,000. It reminds its readers that last year one of its players joined NYC FC. It is also worth noting that Serbia’s educational system requires the study of a foreign language beginning in first grade, and that many students apparently choose English.

It is hard not to conclude that Lukic could be McGlynn’s “replacement” on the Union’s 2025 roster.

Sixteen of Lukic’s 17 starts since last July – the  beginning of the Serbian 24-25 season – have come at central midfield according to the  performance data on Transfermarkt. The 17th was as a defensive midfielder. If we have interpreted his squad absences and the sequencing of his game minutes correctly, he may have suffered two minor injuries this season but is recovered from each.

Lukic is two-and-a-half years older than McGlynn and roughly a year and three quarters younger than Danley Jean Jacques. His algorithm-generated roster asset value on Transfermarkt is right on the reported transfer fee. He would be an international. His current Serbian contract runs through 2027. The McGlynn cash could cover the transfer fee.

Other than the transfer fee which Subotica’s own article emphasizes as providing comfort and an easing of anxieties, we do not fully understand why the Serbian club would sell an important starter late in their season. Spartak currently lie 13^th of 16 after 21 games with nine left to play. They lie directly above the slot that qualifies for the relegation playoff spot against the 3^rd place team in the Serbian second division. At 13^th they currently lie only three points ahead of that 14^th place team. An artificial intelligence inquiry indicates there is some notion on the web that Spartak Subotica is considered a selling club.

In various website evaluations of Lukic as a player, three characteristics stand out: speed, natural stamina, and mental aggression. If he is actually coming to the Union, one would hope that soccer-wise he is a quick study and that he does have some English. Lukic will have to learn Bradley Carnell’s principles of play, and make the Union’s pressing cues instinctive. Those will not happen overnight.