Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union II Communications

The Philadelphia Union announced on Thursday, January 22nd, that homegrown center back Neil Pierre has joined Danish first-division side Lyngby Boldklub through June 2026. The Union’s announcement of Pierre’s loan does not mention a purchase option. 

Pierre has been a key player for Union II over the past three seasons, where he made 56 appearances and scored six goals across all competitions. His development had surpassed the MLS Next Pro level by the end of 2025, but head coach Bradley Carnell mentioned several times across the back half of the season that the teenager was still in the early stages of his development towards first-team football in Philadelphia. 

The loan move demonstrates a new possibility within the Union’s partnership with the Danish side, which should allow for a broader scope for player development in the system. 

Before MLS NEXT Pro began play in 2022, Philadelphia’s second team, then known as Bethlehem Steel FC, played in the USL Championship, much like other MLS clubs’ reserve squads. The creation of NEXT Pro allowed MLS to have more control over the system as a whole, but also brought the reserve sides down from US Soccer’s second division to its third. 

Over the past three seasons, we have observed NEXT Pro to be significantly less physical than the USL Championship. That is not to say that the league is unable to nurture the development of high-quality talent; Philadelphia’s own Frankie Westfield is a walking example of NEXT Pro’s successes. 

But not every player can make such a seamless jump from the second to the first team. We have observed a need for a transitional step between the two for some time now, and the Union’s choice to send Neil Pierre to Lyngby may be just that. 

In his preseason press conference on the 22nd of January, Bradley Carnell spoke about Pierre’s loan and how he believed it would help Pierre’s development over the six months. Carnell mentioned that Lyngby could be the potential extra step from Union II to the Union.

Jose Nuñez (@JoserNunez91) compiled Carnell’s comments about the loan in a post on X. That video and his accompanying thoughts can be viewed here. 

Union Sports and Entertainment announced the strategic partnership and investment with Lyngby Boldklub in May 2024. That announcement mentioned Lyngby’s “extensive work with young talents”, which fits the player development opportunity brought about by Pierre’s loan.

Lyngby’s being in Europe, rather than a domestic club in the USL Championship, allows for a new level of opportunities for players in the organization. Lyngby is geographically a suburb of Copenhagen, and its proximity to the city and location within Europe will allow for new sets of eyes to fall upon Union Academy products. In the past, players and clubs alike had to take a gamble when bringing Americans to top leagues abroad as to whether or not those players would be able to perform outside of the bubble of US Soccer. Union alum Brenden Aaronson is a prime example of that risk having paid off.

The cushion of a Philadelphia Union player being able to take the risk in a league more familiar to the eyes of larger clubs’ scouts will allow for a greater opportunity for those players to find successful careers abroad, but also serve as a proving ground for those who need a slightly higher level of play before they cement themselves into the ranks of the first team. It will also allow players to experience the ordeal of joining a new club in a new country with a new language in a much more controlled environment.

Neil Pierre’s time in Denmark will begin to demonstrate the developmental possibilities between the Union and Lyngby, and likely open the door for future Union II players to get their first taste of European football.