Union trade young forward prospect Anisse Saidi to San Diego
The 16-year-old from Cherry Hill with Tunisian and U.S. roots is a good prospect, but was overtaken by other players on the Union's depth chart of young forwards.
For all the players the Union have brought through their youth academy pipeline over the years, they still haven’t developed one at the most important position of all: striker.
Now the club is finally approaching that long-awaited breakthrough, with seven notable prospects spread across the reserve squad and youth team ranks. But that number is high enough to have convinced one of them that his future might be better off elsewhere.
Anisse Saidi, a 16-year-old from Cherry Hill with Tunisian and U.S. roots, is on his way to MLS expansion team San Diego FC. San Diego paid $50,000 upfront for his rights, and agreed to another $50,000 next year, $200,000 in performance bonus clauses, and a sell-on fee should Saïdi move again someday.
Saidi played last April for the Union’s under-17 team, which won the prestigious Generation Adidas Cup tournament for the second straight year within that age group. Two months later, he made his Union II debut as a substitute, his only appearance at that level.
At the national team level, Saidi earned a few invitations to U.S. under-15 team camps (yes, they go that young) in 2022 and 2023, along with Cavan Sullivan and another Union forward prospect, Jamir Johnson. In November, Saidi accepted an invitation from Tunisia’s under-17 team and has now scored in multiple games for the squad.
“At just 16 years old, Anisse has already shown tremendous potential as a center forward,” San Diego sporting director Tyler Heaps said in a statement. “While this is an exciting step in his career, we recognize that his journey is just beginning, and we are committed to providing him with the resources and support he needs to continue his development.”
» READ MORE: Union hire Bradley Carnell as manager with hopes of developing new talent
Why would the Union let Saidi go? Two of those GA Cup teammates might be part of the answer.
Johnson is highly regarded. Last year, the 16-year-old made nine appearances for Union II. In August, he visited Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, run by former Union and U.S. Soccer sporting director Earnie Stewart. Current senior U.S. men’s team midfielder Malik Tillman was part of the welcoming committee.
Diego Rocío, age 17 (and coincidentally a San Diego native), has already played for U.S. and Mexican youth national teams and made four appearances for Union II last year.
The other notable forward prospects at the moment are José Riasco, who is 20; Nelson Pierre (who has a first-team contract but has been loaned out); Sal Olivas; and 18-year-old Eddy Davis, Union II’s top scorer last year with 14 goals despite being on an amateur contract.
If just one or two of them hit at the senior level, the Union will have done well. And similar to minor league baseball, a team wants to have enough good prospects in the pipeline so that losing any single one isn’t a big deal.
Of course, some prospects are clearly untouchable, like Sullivan. Saidi wasn’t that. But there’s already another name to know on the way: 15-year-old Malik Jakupovic.
They keep coming, and that’s the idea.
» READ MORE: Union trade away three years of future draft picks, showing again they value academy prospects more
A new round of Kai Wagner transfer chatter
Italy’s Gianluca Di Marzio, a major transfer news outlet in that country, reported Friday that Serie A club Parma is “closing in on” a deal for Union left back Kai Wagner.
A source with knowledge of the matter told The Inquirer that the report isn’t quite right: Though there’s interest, there hasn’t been a formal offer yet.
Would the Union say yes if an offer comes? Probably, for as much as it would sting to lose a starter and one of Major League Soccer’s best left backs. Wagner’s eyes wandered to Europe every winter for years, until he signed a new long-term deal last January.
That could have put an end to the headlines, but this winter saw another round of them. Given that, if a Serie A team makes a substantial offer for a 27-year-old, you take the money.
Who would take the starting role? Sporting director Ernst Tanner and new manager Bradley Carnell would have to decide if Frankie Westfield is ready. He’s on the way up from the reserve team, but might not be starting-caliber yet.
Isaiah LeFlore, the other in-house option, missed last year with a torn ACL and his ceiling isn’t clear yet. So Tanner might have to go shopping, but he might not mind.
» READ MORE: Ernst Tanner knows Union fans are frustrated, and promises improvement this year