Union striker Julian Carranza moves to Dutch club Feyenoord

Union striker Julian Carranza, seen here in a March 16 game against Austin, joined Dutch club Feyenoord on Sunday. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman)

Julian Carranza was officially unveiled by Dutch club Feyenoord on Sunday, ending two and a half successful seasons at Philadelphia Union.

His contract length in the Netherlands has not been disclosed, nor have the official terms of the transfer been disclosed. Union will likely receive a small transfer fee for Carranza, whose contract was due to expire at the end of the season, had he been able to leave on a free transfer, but will retain a sell-on quota for future sales on the continent.

The 24-year-old was instrumental in Union reaching the MLS Cup final in 2022 and maintaining its success last year, scoring 34 goals and providing 15 assists in 74 league games (67 starts). He leaves fourth in Union history in goals and 11th in assists in MLS play.

Carranza scored 14 goals and nine assists in 2022, then 14 and six in 2023. This season, he has scored six goals in 11 league appearances, plus four in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. He last played for the Union on May 25, when the deal was made. Since then, the Union is 0-4-2.

In total, Carranza scored 42 goals and provided 16 assists across all competitions, making him the third-highest goalscorer in franchise history.

“Julian has achieved a lot during his time at Union,” said sporting director Ernst Tanner in a press release. “We initially brought him in after recognising his potential for our aggressive style of play and were delighted with how quickly he developed and adapted. He has been an integral part of our success and we are grateful for everything he has done both on and off the pitch. But this is the right step for the player as he continues his development and the best step for the club as we look to make adjustments with the summer transfer window in mind.”

Carranza was poached from Inter Miami for a draft pick in December 2021 and signed permanently the following July. He was one of Miami’s first signings from Banfield in Argentina, but only made 11 appearances in two seasons.

Feyenoord will play in the Champions League this year after finishing second in the Eredivisie. The 16-time Dutch champions have a long tradition of developing players, most recently winning the title in 2023.