CHESTER, Pa.—The Philadelphia Union announced today that forward Ezekiel Alladoh has been signed via a club record transfer fee, eclipsing the previous record signing of Bruno Damiani at the beginning of the 2025 season. While the amount may be peanuts compared some other MLS clubs, for a team that has a “Moneyball” approach (and has been very successful at it), it shows a willingness to spend and build upon the triumphs of 2025 that saw the squad win the Supporters’ Shield. Head coach Bradley Carnell said in the end of season press conference that they wanted to be proactive in the market and maintain the standards they set in their successful 2025 season.

Alladoh, 20, is a native of Ghana and comes to the Union from Swedish Allsvenskan side IF Brommapojkarna. During the past season with them, he scored eight goals and had one assist in 32 appearances. Before that, he played in the Ghana Premier League for the Accra Lions, where he had three goals and one assist in 14 matches. He made his professional debut on September 8, 2024.

“Ezekiel is a talented young striker who has shown encouraging potential in a competitive European league,” said Carnell. “His pace, directness, and vertical movement provide a strong foundation, and at 6’3″ he brings strength and an undeniable presence to the position.  His work rate and high-level mentality align well with our system, and we’re excited to welcome him to Philadelphia as he continues to develop his game.”

Carnell added, “Ezekiel had been spoken about and been in the pipeline for quite some time now, and he really suits and fits our style of play. He’s very aggressive, very direct, runs very vertical in transition. With our game model intact, shows exactly what type of striker we were looking for, just to complement Tai and Bruno at this stage.” He added that each striker that they have has unique skill sets, and they each bring something special to the “tool box.”

Alladoh will be added to the Union’s active roster upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and P1 Visa. He will occupy an international roster slot, and it was stated during the end of season presser by Academy Director Jon Scheer that they have until roster compliance in February to make the final roster designations, which would include if Alladoh is a DP or U-22 initiative. He is guaranteed through 2028 with club options for 2029 and 2030.

Main article photo credit: Philadelphia Union