A few days before Cavan Sullivan's announcement, we asked our writers the following question: What would happen if Julian Carranza, Jack McGlynn, and Quinn Sullivan all left this summer? And are we already in the post-break era? Here are their reactions:
Kyle Grantham: Personally, I am convinced that Carranza is gone. In fact, I'm sure he regrets not leaving this winter, given that one of the clubs that made an offer to him will be playing in the Premier League next season, but the Union are confident that he will be playing in the Premier League next season. % will do everything possible to get something for him before he leaves. end of the season.
blake zuschnit: The Union would like to sell Carranza before his contract expires, but how much does that stack up to wanting to acquire hardware? If that would help them win trophies in the League Cup or MLS Cup? Would the Union accept the possibility of Carranza leaving on a free transfer? To me, that's the decision that Ernst and the front office need to address. Perhaps a deal could be worked out that would allow Carranza to spend the season in Philadelphia. The European Union may not have bargaining power in such a deal, as Carranza clearly wants to stay in Europe sooner rather than later.
Chris Turk: I don't agree with the idea that Carranza regrets not accepting the offer this winter, but I also believe there is a good chance he won't leave in the summer. Let me get this out of the way – Julian Carranza is a really, really good MLS striker. I really like him at Union and think he's a great fit for the team. However, he does not have the qualities that he himself appreciates. He probably turned down the offer because he wanted to go to a Spanish team. I don't think a La Liga or EPL team would buy Carranza. He is not in the Argentina national team (I think he appeared once at U17 level). I was talking about this with a friend this morning and trying to think of which team is likely to give Julian a chance – perhaps Ipswich Town, or one of the Championship teams in the promotion play-offs. (Other than Leeds – I doubt they will sign another Union player.) Is Carranza going to move to West Brom? Perhaps a lower-tier team in Serie A will give him a chance? It's clear Carranza wants to stay, cut his contract and hit free agency. That said, I don't think his value is as high as he thinks, so he might be back here next season (see Wagner, Kai).
Tim Jones: Carranza is likely to leave. The summer period is the union's last chance to cash in on his sale, and it appears he is willing to make a change. But if Jonathan Tannenwald is correct last winter, he's hoping for a specific league within the Big Six as a landing spot. If those opportunities don't come, he'll need a place to play where he can be successful and productive. Philadelphia is where he proved his own success and productivity.
Kyle Grantham: I don't expect Quinn to go anywhere yet, especially since Cavan is on his way to the first team. But in the winter, he saw clubs rushing towards him.
Blake Zushnit: I agree with Kyle about Sullivan. I don't think there are any real photos of Sullivan's leaves in the summer. I don't know if he'll make the Olympic team, but I think that's unfair to him because he's a great athlete and his athletic ability would awe the U.S. coaches. But the reality is, he's had some very strong plays at Union, and other times he's had really “so-so” plays at Union. Even if he is selected to compete in the Olympics, I predict he will be in the Union's starting eleven in 2025 unless he performs in a special event.
Chris Turk: I agree with Blake and think Sullivan will return to the Union in 2025. He looks very sharp when playing up the right in midfield, but he only looked so-so when playing up front as a striker. He will continue to develop and be an integral part of the Union for at least a few years. But if he makes the Olympic team (which I wouldn't bet on) and he has a great Olympic performance, all that could change. Even if he is named to the team, he will not receive offers even if he sits on the bench or comes on as a substitute late in the game. I think it's more likely that Quinn and Cavan will be featured together in 2025 than Quinn going to Europe.
Tim Jones: Unless some club makes a huge surprise offer, I don't consider Sullivan a serious candidate to leave. There hasn't been an edge to his play in the last few games. He needs to rest and recharge, but he won't get that opportunity until Leon Flach is back in top form and allows him a break from double duty. Still, he is Carranza's best partner thanks to his continuous ground covering and defense as a striker.
Kyle Grantham: McGlynn may receive some offers, but probably not as many as the club thinks he's worth. If he can improve his defensive work rate, I think we'll start to see money coming in for Aaronson. Now he's a hell of a shooter and his crossing has improved dramatically, but his positioning and defensive instincts scream too much for a major European club to invest $7-8 million in. It's too much.
Blake Zushnit: As far as McGlynn goes, I agree with Kyle to some extent. I would like to add that his performance at this summer's Olympics will have the biggest impact on his overall value, and it is highly doubtful that the association will accept any offers before that Games. I've heard rumors that Ernie Stewart is interested in seeing him at PSV, and to be honest, that might be the best fit for his play. The Eredivisie could be the right league for him to establish a foothold in Europe. I'm one of those guys who feels he's better prepared for Europe than any other player and with the right situation and system he'll definitely be successful. I don't think he'll leave the Union before the end of the season, but if he does, we'll see how important and dynamic a piece he is in breaking opponents.
Chris Turk: Perhaps I'm overestimating McGlynn's value to the Union, but I'm more worried about him leaving than Carranza. I can't say he's as good a player as Carranza (at this point), but if McGlynn leaves, I think he'll prove harder to replace than Carranza. A lot will depend on how well McGlynn plays at the Olympics. If he shines at the Olympics, teams from smaller European leagues like the Eredivisie, or even teams in the bottom third of the big league standings, could take a chance on him this summer. . In fact, I think it's more likely that McGlynn will remain with the Union through the remainder of the 2024 season. How his value should increase as he continues to develop as a player and perhaps become more defensively aware when he doesn't have the ball, which could lead to him saying goodbye after the season.
Tim Jones: When McGlynn goes to Paris for the Olympics, if both he and the American players perform well, he could easily make it to Europe's top developmental leagues. He will need to prove his ground coverage and basic speed of play. If the Union still has any playoff hopes, he'll try to get a contract and be a rental back. The association could secure loan repayments until December as McGlynn still needs to develop to play at Europe's highest level.
Kyle Grantham: Blake publicly voicing his dissatisfaction was a big step, but it's hard to think of a post-Blake era in which his health wasn't as good as it was the past two seasons. He still has plenty of life left, especially in MLS as keepers can play until the age of 40, but with the youth movement at the position and the recent increase in value of young MLS goalie candidates (Gaga Slonina, Matt (See Turner, Djordje Petrovic) Unless you're in the 'win-now' bracket at LAFC, I see a lot of clubs chasing older keepers, or just talent worth developing. I don't know if it's not in the pipeline. It seems hard to imagine Blake leaving the Union for another club, uprooting his family from the Bears and starting over, but at the same time, something is brewing there.
Blake Zushnit: I agree with Kyle here. I really don't know what to make of his comments about the Union's lack of spending before the season. His recent comments on Instagram also don't paint a good picture. They paint a picture of a locker room devoid of focus and belief. Needless to say, it was an unexpected statement from a club legend who everyone thought was a Union fan at this point. Could it be frustration over a recent injury? Are you worried that his career will be over just because of the coronavirus supporters shield? A bit of Kai Wagner-esque hardball with Ernst? I don't know, but I don't think any other team is that interested in the injury-prone 33-year-old. I think he's going to stay in Philadelphia and see his career in Philadelphia.
Chris Turk: Due to season-lengthening injuries and the Union “rolling out” the same team in 2024 as they had in 2023 (admittedly, the homegrowns are getting more minutes, but it's still the same team), the Blake slumped a bit. I think there are. He certainly got that impression (is it okay to say that?) when I spoke to him in the locker room after the RSL defeat. He's a competitor and wants to be healthy for the team, but you get the impression he wants some of the money he collects from the Aaronsons and others to invest in the team. That being said, I also don't think Blake will leave unless he makes his relationship with Tanner and the front office worse than it already is (not much in the grand scheme of player dissatisfaction). He was at Sporting Delaware's practice last week with one of his kids playing for Sporting on trial (is it even okay to say that?). He seems to be investing in this area. When I voiced my frustrations with him openly, it was also a way to vent, and maybe even to be a little tough on Tanner.
At the end of the day, I'm not afraid of losing two players, let alone three, this summer. I think it's more likely that all three will return next year than all three will leave. The reality is probably somewhere in between. I could see Carranza not liking what he was being offered in Europe and cutting his contract, and Tanner coming in with a contract good enough to return in 2025 and 2026 (see again: Wagner, Kai ) All bets are off unless the Coalition can repair the ship within the next five to six weeks. If the team continues to play poorly heading into international competition and loses the League Cup before the semi-finals, they could be in for a disappointing second half of the season, with Carranza and McGlynn set to leave before the 2025 season. It will be. There may be an impetus to blow things up and rebuild. If things don't improve soon, the Union could take Carranza to a reduced contract, and he might be willing to settle for a team a level or two below where he thinks he should be. .
Tim Jones: We are not in the post-Andre Blake era. His injuries and age reduced his bargaining power in his contract year. Public complaints are a negotiation tactic. It can also convey the sentiment of the locker room to the owners. The act of becoming a U.S. citizen indicates a certain level of commitment.
If a Serie A or La Liga team were to make a decent offer to Carranza, he would be on the move and his roster spot would be taken over by Jose Riaco, for better or for worse. That would make the Union a team that hopes to make the playoffs, rather than a team that could be in the playoffs. McGlynn will finish the season in Philadelphia. Sullivan and Blake aren't going anywhere.