USMNT star Mark McKenzie returns to Philadelphia and heralds a new era for MLS

News

Tom Weber | Writer

Multilingual sports writer who specialises in European football and American soccer.

United States men's national team and Toulouse defender Mark McKenzie is reportedly set to return to the Philadelphia Union in a move that could have major ramifications for the future of Major League Soccer.

The Athletic reports that the Union have agreed a deal in the region of $2.5 million with Toulouse to bring back their former homegrown. McKenzie came through the club's academy and made 59 senior appearances before being sold to Belgian side Genk for roughly $6m in early 2021.

He moved to Toulouse in the summer of 2024 and quickly established himself as a starter in Ligue 1. The 27-year-old made 33 appearances last season and was named on the USMNT's World Cup roster.

With Chris Richards recovering from his injury problems in time for the start of the tournament, McKenzie was not a starter for Mauricio Pochettino and only made one appearance this summer - the USMNT's dead rubber defeat to Turkey in the final group stage fixture.

However, the fact that the Union have been able to re-sign the defender at his peak is not just a statement of intent but also potentially a sign of things to come for MLS.

More USMNT stars could follow McKenzie to MLS

There was an expectation among insiders that this summer's World Cup and the proposed changes coming to MLS in the future would embolden several Europe-based USMNT stars to return stateside.

Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie were among the players who seemed destined to move to MLS this summer, but ultimately, this predicted wave of transfers hasn't materialised.

Although there has been strong interest in Pulisic from several clubs, chiefly New York City FC, his current team, AC Milan, do not want to sell the American forward this year.

McKennie, meanwhile, was handed a surprising contract extension at Juventus after becoming one of the team's most important players in the wake of the appointment of Luciano Spalletti last October.

Even McKenzie isn't moving this summer. Toulouse don't want to lose him this late in the transfer window, so he will join up with the Union in January ahead of MLS's sprint season.

The fact that he will be a Designated Player has raised eyebrows, but Tom Bogert points out that this is surely with the proposed changes to MLS's roster and spending rules in mind.

Unless he is on a gigantic contract - which isn't how Philly operate - the Union will still have plenty of flexibility despite the fact that they have used two of their DP spots on defenders.

We still don't exactly know what MLS's new regulations will look like, but it is expected that a DP rule will remain in force, while the salary cap is raised and some of the league-specific quirks are removed in order to allow clubs more freedom when assembling their rosters.

The Union won't be hamstrung by bringing McKenzie back, which is positive given that signing a high-level centre-back wasn't necessarily top of the agenda unless they expect wonderkid Neil Pierre to already be sold this offseason.

McKenzie surely won't be the only high-profile arrival in MLS next year. The liberalization of roster rules could open the floodgates for more USMNT players to return stateside and become the faces of the league in the future.