Union sign Haitian international Danley Jean Jacques from French Ligue 2 club Metz

The Union got the 24-year-old midfielder from the same French club where they found midfielder Jamiro Monteiro

Danley Jean Jacques (right) playing for French club Metz last season.Read moreDaniel Cole / AP

Published Aug. 8, 2024, 1:30 p.m. ET

Five years ago, the Union found a player who became one of their best international signings at a French club that wasn’t well-known to Americans at that point.

This summer, sporting director Ernst Tanner went back there to find a player he hopes will be just as impactful.

Danley Jean Jacques, a 24-year-old Haitian, isn’t the same kind of midfielder Jamiro Monteiro was. But it’s fair to spotlight the fact that they’ve come here from Metz, which was relegated from France’s Ligue 1 to Ligue 2 this spring. Many French clubs have talented players whom MLS teams can afford, and it’s encouraging that the Union have gone shopping there.

That’s further proven by the fact that the Union weren’t the only MLS team who wanted to sign Jean Jacques. The Portland Timbers did, too, and had what the league calls his “discovery rights” — a system in which teams basically can call dibs on a foreign player at the start of the year, then ransom those dibs to other teams.

The Union paid up, sending $100,000 to Portland after paying Metz a transfer fee of around $1.6 million. Jean Jacques agreed on a contract through 2026, with team-held options for ’27 and ’28.

Jean Jacques went to Metz two years ago after starting his pro career at Haitian club Don Bosco FC. He played 69 games for Metz over two seasons, mainly as a defensive or deep central midfielder.

He also has played 10 times for Haiti’s national team, including at last year’s Concacaf Gold Cup, where he scored a goal against Mexico.

“He is a versatile player in the midfield and has proven himself in a top league,” Tanner said in a statement. “He is a quick, physical player who fits our style of play and has the ability to make an immediate impact.”

He might do that, but this signing definitely has next year in mind. Alejandro Bedoya’s retirement is on the horizon, Jack McGlynn could be sold, and don’t be surprised if the Union get a useful offer for José Andrés Martínez and take it. Leon Flach also is out of contract after this year, although there have been signals the Union would like to bring him back.

Put all that together, and it’s clear there will be playing time for Jean Jacques to step up and earn.