TRANSFER TRACKER:Signing
The Philadelphia Union are trying to solidify their hold atop the Eastern Conference, and have added attacking reinforcements in forward Andrew Wooten, the club announced on Thursday evening.
The club announced the signing on Thursday, after reports first emerged earlier in the day on Pro Soccer USA that the signing of the forward was imminent. Joining Philadelphia on a free transfer, he will be eligible to play after the secondary transfer window opens on July 9.
The Union utilized Targeted Allocation Money to complete the signing.
“We are delighted to complete this signing and we’d like to officially welcome Andrew to the Union,” Union sporting director Ernst Tanner said in a statement. “He is a strong forward who had interest from many teams around the world, so to have him choose Philadelphia as the next stop in his career is a tremendous compliment. We are all looking forward to integrating Andrew as quickly as possible and having him ready to play as soon as he is eligible following the opening of the transfer window.”
Wooten, 29, has played his entire pro career in Germany prior to the MLS move. He's played in the Kaiserslautern system, including the first team, and most recently played for 2. Bundesliga side SV Sandhausen. He's coming off his best first-team club season of his career, where he scored 17 goals in 31 league appearances for Sandhausen.
A dual citizen of Germany and the United States, Wooten has one cap with the US national team, in 2015.
The Union currently sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with the second half of the MLS regular season set to begin this weekend. Wooten will likely be in the mix to play minutes after he is eligible, with the scoring load being shared around the squad so far this year, and four players tied for the scoring lead in league play with four goals apiece.
