After standout season with reserves, Eddy Davis III signed to first team deal

Eddy Davis III has been rewarded with a first team deal following his record-breaking 2024 season with Philadelphia Union II. The team announced the signing Tuesday of the Los Angeles native, who set a new Union II scoring mark last season.

The 18-year-old’s contract is guaranteed through 2027 with an option for 2028 and 2029.

“Eddy took a big step in his growth and development last year, proving himself to be a relentless striker,” Philadelphia Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner said in a news release. “His ability to read the game and create scoring opportunities makes him a valuable asset. He has the mentality and passion we look for in young players and is a prime example of the strong talent we continue to foster in our system.”

Davis, 18, played in 27 regular season games with Union II last season, scoring 13 goals and registering four assists in 1,773 minutes. His 13 goals led the club, ranked fourth in the league, and set a single season record for most goals by a Union II player, surpassing Faris Moumbagna’s 11 during the 2019 season when the team was known as Bethlehem Steel and played in the USL Championship. Davis made his second team debut in 2023 with four appearances.

Prior to joining the Union’s academy in 2022, Davis spent time with the New York Red Bulls and was in the LAFC academy in his younger years in California. It doesn’t appear the Union had to acquire his MLS rights in order to sign him to a first team deal.

Davis played last season as an unsigned amateur and had trials abroad with Lyngby and Schalke but has found a home in Chester for the foreseeable future. Competition for first team minutes, however, will be fierce.