Philadelphia Union have made a big move by signing 15-year-old Malik Jakupovic to a homegrown contract. The young forward who has already caught the eye of European clubs like Eintracht Frankfurt and AS Monaco will start his journey with the Union’s second team. This shows how the Union wants to grow young talent and make their team stronger for what’s coming.
- Jakupovic will start with Philadelphia Union’s second team before moving to the first team.
- European clubs including Eintracht Frankfurt and AS Monaco showed interest in Jakupovic.
- Philadelphia Union’s academy is known for helping young players grow.
Malik Jakupovic: A Young Star in the Making
Philadelphia Union getting Malik Jakupovic shows they want to bet on young players. At just 15 years old Jakupovic has already made people notice him in the U.S. Youth National Teams. Being picked for the Generation adidas Cup Rising XI shows how good he could be and what he might do for MLS in the future.
Jakupovic is going to start with their second team and then move up to the first team when he’s ready. The Union’s academy is really respected in MLS because they make players who do good both here and overseas. For more on the Union’s academy, see Philadelphia Union’s History and Youth Development.
Sources: Philadelphia Union sign highly rated USYNT forward Malik Jakupovic to homegrown deal. @JoserNunez91 1st.
Jakupovic, 15, starts w/ 2nd team before deal turns 1st team.
Eintracht Frankfurt made push to sign, per sources. Monaco & others interested, but he stays in Philly https://t.co/sVRy3esx30
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert)
May 03, 2025
European Teams Want Him but MLS is Getting Better
Big European clubs like Eintracht Frankfurt and AS Monaco wanting him shows how good Jakupovic is. These teams are really good at finding young talent which makes lots of players want to join them. But Jakupovic choosing to stay with Philadelphia Union shows that MLS is getting better and better.
This is happening while MLS is changing a lot with teams like the Vancouver Whitecaps doing really well. You can read more about them at Vancouver Whitecaps’ Rise in MLS. Also teams like Atlanta United are trying to fix their early problems this year which you can read about in Atlanta United’s 2025 Season Challenges.
What’s Next for Jakupovic
Jakupovic picking Philadelphia Union shows that big European teams see something special in him. As he starts playing pro soccer everyone will be watching how he grows and what he does for the team. Being on the U.S. U-16 Boys National Team also shows that people around the world are noticing him.
With MLS getting big players like Kevin De Bruyne who might go to Chicago Fire, the league is getting bigger and better. This makes it a really good place for young players like Jakupovic to grow and maybe become famous in world soccer.
