Julian Carranza has been transferred to Netherlands
Julián Carranza of the Philadelphia Union celebrates after his goal against the Chicago Fire during 2nd half of their game on Aug. 13, 2022, at Subaru Park in Chester, PA. CHARLES FOX / The Philadelphia Inquirer
After plenty of speculation and a couple of game absences, the transfer of Julian Carranza has become official.
Carranza will be heading to Dutch top-tier professional association football club Feyenoord, sixteen-time Eredivisie champions and 2024 2nd place finisher.
When Carranza was acquired, on loan from Inter Miami FC in 2021, I don’t know if any fan knew the impact he would make on the Philadelphia Union. Coming over from Primera Division, the top Argentine league, Club Atletico Banfield in July 2019, Carranza was one of the first two players ever signed by Miami, occupying a Young Designated Player spot. The Union were fortunate enough to acquire the young Argentine striker for a natural second-round pick in the 2022 MLS SuperDraft, then permanently in July 2022.
Did fans know then that he would become the third leading goal scorer in club history, in all comps, behind Sebastien Le Toux and teammate Daniel Gazdag, who just passed LeToux in April? Probably not but he has certainly made his presence known here.
Over his 74 appearances and 67 starts, he has provided a strength and edge up top that the team misses when he isn’t on the pitch. He made his debut in the 2022 home opener, February 26 against Minnesota United FC, and when he scored his first goal on April 2nd against Charlotte, he was off and running.
Please forgive him DC United players and fans because he has done some damage to you folks. Against DC, he scored his first hat trick on July 8, 2022, and followed it up with another one on August 20, 2022. With the first hat trick, he became the fifth player in club history to do so. However, the encore made him only the 2nd player in MLS history to score two hat tricks against one team in the same season.
Running with the second theme, he had 14 goals in both 2022 and 2023, making him the second player in club history with double-digit goals in back-to-back seasons.
According to the Union, Julian and aforementioned teammate Gazdag set an MLS record by scoring in the same match 16 times, the most by any pair of teammates in league history.
One of my first games in this role was the first leg of Concacaf Champions Cup vs Deportivo Saprissa this year. Seeing how he took that game over after halftime to get the Union a vital three points on the road was enthralling. Watching the header for the first goal all the way through to the scuffed shot off his in-step for the hat trick, I remember thinking this is going to be a fun season to cover.
It hasn’t been lately and, coincidentally, Carranza had been out while awaiting this transfer so who knows if it will get better. The Union are not a club that is going to spend exorbitantly so they have become good at developing young players and home-grown talent, getting something for them from a bigger club, and replenishing. This is no different and Julian Carranza now has the opportunity to showcase his skills a level (or a couple) up on a bigger stage.
I can only speak for myself when I say, your contributions are greatly appreciated by this club, and wish you continued success, Julian.
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