The Philadelphia Union selected the first 10 players in a league expansion draft yesterday.
Highlighting Union head coach Peter Nowak’s 10 selections are MLS veterans Alejandro Moreno and Shavar Thomas, both of whom started 17 games for their respective clubs in 2009. Moreno, a Venezuelan international, just completed his eighth year in MLS, has scored 43 regular season goals in his career, and scored in MLS Cup 2008 for the Columbus Crew.
Thomas has seven seasons under his belt as a centerback, represents Jamaica internationally, and was part of Chivas USA’s stingy defense in 2009 that allowed just 31 goals in 30 games. Philadelphia also selected Sebastien Le Toux, the first player signed by Seattle Sounders FC who had led the USL Sounders in scoring and who played in 28 MLS regular season games in 2009.
Right before the draft, the Union made their first trade. The Union acquired Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Chris Seitz, 22, in exchange for allocation money and the Union’s promise not to select a player from the reigning MLS champions’ roster in the draft. Seitz played for Nowak on the U.S. under-23 national team that competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Philadelphia Union, Major League Soccer’s 16th team, will begin play in the Eastern Conference in the 2010 season. They will play their home opener at Lincoln Financial Field on April 10, 2010 and open their home stadium, Union Field, during the 2010 season. Below is a complete list of player selected in this year’s draft.
This is the roster of the Philadelphia Union so far:
Acquired by draft
Brad Knighton 24 G
David Myrie 21 D
Shavar Thomas 28 D
Jordan Harvey 25 D
Shea Salinas 23 M
Stefani Miglioranzi 32 M
Andrew Jacobson 24 M
Nick Zimmerman 22 F
Alejandro Moreno 30 F
Sebastian Le Toux 25 F
Acquired by trade
Chris Seitz 22 G