The Philadelphia Union have acquired Argentine forward Julian Carranza on loan from Inter Miami for the 2021 season.
The 21-year-old will occupy a Young Designated Player spot on Jim Curtin’s roster, with the Union holding an option to sign Carranza permanently. Miami have received a second-round selection in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft.
“We’re excited to welcome Julian to the Philadelphia Union and add a promising young attacker with a lot of potential to our roster,” Union sporting director Ernst Tanner said in a press release.
“He is aggressive in the box and brings the versatility of a natural center forward who fits the profile of a striker we were looking for, as well as our style of play. We look forward to welcoming him to the team and watching him develop in our system.”
Carranza joined Inter Miami from Banfield for a reported $6m ahead of their inaugural 2020 season having registered 11 goals and two assists in 48 appearances for the Argentine club. He has two caps for the Argentina U-23 team to date, scoring once.
But the youngster has never really got going in Florida, notching just three times in 42 appearances. In 2021, Carranza only scored a single goal in 25 MLS matches.
Gonna be looking for more of this ⚡ from @carranzajuli21 in Philly! #DOOP pic.twitter.com/j2AeZdubue
— PhilaUnion (@PhilaUnion) December 23, 2021
Still, Carranza has bags of potential and plenty of upside, while his departure gives Inter Miami more wiggle room as Phil Neville looks to overhaul his roster this winter.
“This transaction gives the club flexibility to continue maneuvering the roster, as we aim to improve the squad and achieve our objectives in the 2022 campaign,” Inter Miami sporting director and chief soccer officer Chris Henderson said in a release. “We wish Julián well during his loan stint.”
The Union begin their 2022 MLS campaign at home to Minnesota United on February 26, while Inter Miami host the Chicago Fire.
