Philadelphia Union signs 20-year-old attacker Markus Anderson

Philadelphia Union have acquired 20-year-old attacker Markus Anderson from CF Rayo Majadahonda in Spain, the team announced on Monday morning.

The Brooklyn, N.Y.-born forward has been signed to a three-year contract with club options for 2027 and 2028.

“After initially playing in the fifth division in Spain, he was able to quickly progress to the third division where he has been performing well at a very young age,” Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner stated in a news release. “He is another great example of how adept our scouting department is at identifying talent and we look forward to integrating him as quickly as possible with the team.”

Anderson comes to Philadelphia from the Primera Federación, Spain’s third-tier league, where he played for CF Rayo Majadahonda. In 2023, Anderson made 18 appearances (14 starts) and scored three goals, marking his debut on April 9, 2023, against Algeciras CF.

Before making his mark in Spain, Anderson started his youth career at Manhattan Kickers FC. Prior to joining CF Rayo Majadahonda, Anderson played for their U19 team before joining Club Deportivo Básico Paracuellos Antamira in the Tercera Federación, Spain’s fifth division, where he scored 10 goals and registered four assists in 29 appearances (20 starts).