D.C. United Acquires MLS All-Star Striker Tai Baribo in Blockbuster Trade
D.C. United has made a significant move by trading for MLS All-Star striker Tai Baribo from the Philadelphia Union. In exchange for the 27-year-old Israeli international, Philadelphia will receive $4 million guaranteed, with the potential for an additional $600,000 based on performance incentives. Baribo has signed a five-year Designated Player deal with D.C. through the 2029-30 season. The club's managing director of soccer operations, Dr. Erkut Sogut, expressed excitement about adding Baribo to the roster, highlighting his goal-scoring abilities and overall impact on the team.
Baribo's arrival marks D.C.'s first major acquisition under Sogut's leadership, following the club's decision to decline the option for striker Christian Benteke. Baribo has been a consistent scorer in MLS, with 35 goals and 6 assists in 67 appearances for the Union since joining in 2023. He was Philly's top scorer last season, contributing 19 goals across all competitions and helping the team secure the Supporters' Shield. Additionally, Baribo has represented Israel internationally, scoring four goals in 23 caps.
Philadelphia head coach Bradley Carnell thanked Baribo for his contributions to the club and expressed confidence in the decision to trade him to D.C. The move provides financial opportunities for the Union to invest in the team and create space for emerging talent. Baribo's addition to D.C.'s attack is expected to boost the team's goal-scoring capabilities, as they finished with the lowest goal tally in the league in 2025. The upcoming 2026 MLS season will be D.C.'s first full campaign under head coach René Weiler, who took over from Troy Lesesne in July.
In a separate transaction, Philadelphia acquired Ghanaian striker Ezekiel Alladoh from IF Brommapojkarna for a club-record fee, further strengthening their squad. The Union had previously broken their club-record fee to sign striker Bruno Damiani from Nacional. The transfer activity reflects both clubs' efforts to enhance their rosters ahead of the upcoming season.