Photo by Ron Soliman

In case you missed our Roundtable, PSP writer Chris Turk gives his own perspective on the coming season.

After the disappointment of the 2024 season, I thought that 2025 was bound to be a rebuilding season. However, a new coach in Bradley Carnell and a somewhat healthier team, continued growth from Danley Jean Jacques and Olwethu Makhanya, and fewer games with no Champions Cup and Leagues Cup appearances, led to a Supporters’ Shield–winning season. So, could this team run it back in 2026 with only a few changes? Well, I think the 2026 season is bound to be the rebuilding season we all thought last year would be.

There are new faces, a player returning from a significant injury, and a lack of depth at key positions that makes it hard to think this team will be competing for a trophy.
It is hard to fault any of the changes the Union have made on their own. The changes as a whole, however, are concerning, which is why I think we should be happy if the Union can play themselves into a six- or seven-seed in the East.

Let’s look at the changes individually. First, replacing Tai Baribo with a 20-year-old unproven striker in Ezekiel Alladoh. Would I have liked to have seen the Union keep Baribo? Sure, but D.C.’s offer was frankly too ridiculous to turn down, especially after a disappointing second half of the season. And let’s be honest—it was a disappointing second half. Could Alladoh be a 15-goal contributor this coming season? Maybe, but I wouldn’t count on it, at least not in his first season.

Many fans lament the loss of Baribo while keeping Bruno Damiani. In reality, I bet if the Union had a $4.5 million offer for Damiani (or anywhere close to that) they would have sold him and kept Baribo. But you take the offer you receive, not the one you want. And would I have liked to have seen Mikael Uhre stay? Again, sure. People forget that he scored 13 goals, 11, 13 again, before scoring only 6 in his final season (where he more often than not came off the bench). Given his lack of playing time last year, when Damiani and Baribo were favored, it’s hard to fault Uhre for not scoring more. The fact is, he probably did not want to take a pay cut (who among us does?), and thus his time had run out here in Philadelphia.

We’ll never know how the Union would’ve fared in the playoffs if Quinn Sullivan had not torn his ACL. His absence—he’s not returning until after the World Cup—highlights a lack of depth at the attacking midfield position. While we all want Cavan Sullivan to have a breakout season, he is only 16, and let’s be honest: Alejandro Bedoya is a club legend, but he’s nothing more than a last 15-minutes substitute at this point. Ben Bender was a first-round, top MLS SuperDraft pick of Charlotte, but the few moments we saw him last year did not instill faith in his ability to be a viable option off the bench, let alone a starting attacking midfielder.

Which leaves us with Indiana Vassilev and Milan Iloski. Vassilev hustles and wins balls, but he needs to be paired with someone who has more talent on the ball at his feet. While Iloski fits that definition, he should be playing as a striker, and Cavan Sullivan is again, only 16. (Though I think the Union should start him to see if he really has the talent to play in MLS now, or the EPL in the future.)

The one position I’m comfortable with is the holding or defensive midfield, where Danley and Jovan Lukić mesh well together and, barring an unforeseen sale, should continue to have good seasons. Having Jesús Bueno (and Alejandro Bedoya) available off the bench is comforting.
It was nice to see Jakob Glesnes return from injury to have another All-Star season, but let’s be honest—he was still slowing down. His pairing with Makhanya was ideal for both. Makhanya had a steady partner, and his speed could help cover Glesnes, and Glesnes could cover for him when he was pulled out of position (like on NYCFC’s playoff goal, which was on Makhanya, not Glesnes). Hopefully, Japhet Sery Larsen can bring his experience from Europe and slide into Glesnes’s spot effortlessly, and gel with Makhanya as equally well.

I am less worried about the center backs (and defensive midfield) than I am about attacking midfield or the fullbacks. At right back, the Union can play Olivier Mbaizo, Frankie Westfield, or Nate Harriel. On the other hand (or side), left back is a huge concern. The Union say they are looking for a replacement, but with the season starting in less than four weeks, one has to question whether that is going to happen.

No one expects an equal replacement for Kai Wagner, especially offensively, but it is worrisome that the Union are looking at starting the season with Westfield at left back, a position where he did not impress last season (though he did with Union II). Ben Bender, who received a tryout during the preseason, or Nate Harriel—whom I would rather see starting at right back—are also options. Neither inspires confidence.

Finally, here’s hoping that Andre Blake can have an injury-free season. But even if he doesn’t, Andrew Rick has shown himself to likely be the future face of the Union goalkeeping corps (he did have 6 cleans sheets in MLS).

Again, any one of these changes—losing Baribo, losing Uhre, gaining Alladoh, Quinn Sullivan’s injury, selling Wagner, selling Glesnes—taken in a vacuum, is OK. All of them together, in a season where the Union kick off with a Champions Cup appearance, is concerning. Is there enough depth at attacking midfield? Can Markus Anderson actually make a contribution? Will Iloski play in attacking midfield or return to his natural striker position? Will Quinn Sullivan be 100% come August? Will there be a left back replacement, or will Frankie Westfield show the same brilliance he did for Union II?

If I knew the answers to all these questions, I’d head over to FanDuel and lay some prop bets. But who knows what’s going to happen at any one of these positions, let alone all of them. Again, I think the most likely outcome of this season sees Damiani and Alladoh as a striking combination up front, at least until Quinn Sullivan returns in August (and Iloski will no longer be needed to start in midfield).

Until then, expect Iloski to pair with Vassilev in the attacking midfield, backed up by Lukić and Danley. I think Blake will be protected by an eventual new signing at left back, with Harriel and Westfield alternating at right back (Harriel perhaps seeing some time in the midfield as well), and Larsen and Makhanya as center backs. All of this leads to a sixth- or seventh-place finish in the East, in my opinion.