CHESTER, Pa.— After a day of endless announcements for both the first and second teams of the Philadelphia Union franchise, one bit of news that followers of the club seemed to be waiting for finally happened.

On Friday, the club announced the signing of 20 year old left back Philippe Ndinga  on a permanent transfer from Swedish club Degerfors IF.

Ndinga joins the Union as a U22 Initiative signing and is guaranteed through the 2028-2029 season with an option through 2029-2030 season. 

“Philippe is a dynamic defender with the ability to play confidently with both feet, which gives us valuable flexibility in the back line,” said Philadelphia Union Head Coach Bradley Carnel per club’s press release. “His aggressive style of defending fits our system well, and we’re excited to welcome him to the club.”

Ndinga arrived at Swedish club, Degerfors, in August of this past year after spending the previous year with French side, Valenciennes FC B and played a key role in helping the club stay in Allsvenskan.

In France, Ndinga featuring for Pau FC, USL Dunkerque, and Valenciennes FC across youth and senior levels. During the 2024–25 season with Valenciennes, he made 19 appearances for the reserve side and made his first-team debut in Championnat National action.

Upon joining Degerfors on trial in July 2025, the left back featured in 12 matches across all competitions and scored his first professional goal in a 3-1 victory over IK Sirius on September 21, 2025. He also started in the club’s final 9 matches of the season.

On the international front, Phillipe made his debut with the Congo U-20 national team in June of 2025, three caps at the 2025 Maurice Revello Tournament, where he featured in matches against Japan, Mexico, and Panama.

As to when Ndinga will “officially” be in Philadelphia? Bradley Carnell provided some clarity on the situation during his press conference on Friday.

“I would say a couple of days still before we can welcome him here to Philly, still a couple of things to iron out a couple appointments to be had in in Sweden.”

Carnell would later clarify that it had more to do with visas and international paperwork than anything else.

“I don’t really think that that should be an issue,” said Carnell. “So if he now joins in 10 days time, and then it takes, you know, a week or two to get running up and up and ready.”

“We’ve seen it with players who who’ve left into other leagues, and, you know, not been match ready and play already in the upcoming games. So it is possible, just depending on the individual and depending how fit they are coming in.”

Main photo article courtesy of the Philadelphia Union