Union sign sporting director Ernst Tanner to new contract

The Union lost one sporting director to the USSF once before. This time, the team avoided the fate of losing Tanner to any federation or club abroad by signing him to a contract extension.

Philadelphia Union sporting director Ernst Tanner at a news conference at Subaru Park in 2022.Read moreJonathan Tannenwald / Staff

by Andrea Canales

Published Jul. 25, 2023, 8:35 p.m. ET

The Union reportedly have agreed to a contract extension with sporting director Ernst Tanner. Tanner led decision-making on player signings ahead of the team’s first trophy, the 2020 Supporters’ Shield, as well as last season’s Eastern Conference championship and MLS Cup runner-up finish.

After sealing up a contract extension for longtime coach Jim Curtin, the next step for the Union was to do the same with the other architect of the team’s recent success. Tanner’s contract was set to expire this season, and he’d reportedly had advances from clubs abroad, as well as the United States’ and Austria’s federations.

Tanner became the Union’s sporting director in the fall of 2018, when previous director Earnie Stewart left for the same role at the U.S. Soccer federation. The Germany native previously served as the academy director for Red Bull Salzburg. Tanner oversees all Union technical and soccer-related decisions. Last year, Tanner was named MLS Sporting Executive of the Year.

And on the day the news of Tanner’s contract became public, so, too, did evidence of his influence. The Union reportedly moved to sign Israel international Tai Baribo, a striker. Baribo had 24 goals and five assists this past season for Bundesliga club Wolfsberger AC.

Julián Carranza, who is the team’s leading goal-scorer this season with 10 goals, has garnered transfer interest from teams abroad. The Argentine forward originally signed with the Union on a loan from Inter Miami that became permanent last season.