The Union have their new left back in 20-year-old Philippe Ndinga

It took a long time to seal the deal, but the Union finally have their new starting left back.

The team’s signing of Philippe Ndinga, a 20-year-old from Swedish first-division club Degerfors, became official on Friday. A source with knowledge of the matter told The Inquirer that the Union agreed a transfer fee of around $1 million, plus incentive-based bonuses.

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

Because of Ndinga’s young age, he qualified for MLS’s Under-22 initiative, which means the transfer fee won’t affect the salary cap. (Transfer fees usually count in the budget math for MLS teams, but under-22 players get pre-set cap hits of at most $200,000.)

Ndinga was born in Libreville, Gabon, and spent his late teens coming up through French lower-league clubs. His international affiliation is with Congo, and he played three games for the country’s under-23 team last summer.

He took his first professional step last August when he signed with Degerfors of Sweden’s top flight. It didn’t take long for him to get attention from elsewhere, with suitors reportedly including Los Angeles FC, the Houston Dynamo, and Greece’s Panathinaikos.

» READ MORE: An analysis of the Union's depth chart at every position to start the 2026 season

It might be a little bit before Ndinga is fully integrated, since he’s arriving so late. The Union are three games into their season, and their next contest is Sunday against New York City FC at Subaru Park (4:30 p.m., Apple TV).

Frankie Westfield will stay atop the left back depth chart until Ndinga is settled in, though his hamstring trouble remains a concern. Once Ndinga gets going, Westfield will be able to switch to right back.