Anisse Saidi Interest From Europe

Philadelphia Union Academy Standout Draws Major European Interest

Tunisian-American MLS Next star Anisse Saidi has been offered trials at multiple clubs in both Portugal and Germany

Philadelphia Union U17 star striker Anisse Saidi’s excellent season has not gone unnoticed. The 2008-born goal scorer, who celebrated his 16th birthday last week, is set to go on trial this summer with Portuguese giants Sporting CP, who are interested in signing him, as well as fellow Portuguese club SC Braga, who have featured in European competitions each of the last 9 years. Both clubs’ U17 teams compete at the highest level in Portugal, with Sporting’s U17s finishing 2nd and Braga’s U17s finishing 5th this past season. Additionally, German giants Bayern Munich and fellow Bundesliga club Freiburg wanted to take Saidi on trial, but the Union refused.

Anisse Saidi has been one of the most prolific goal scorers in the U17 division of MLS Next this season, finishing in the top 10 with over 20 goals. His fantastic play has helped Union U17 win their 2nd straight GA Cup title, with Saidi scoring 2 goals along the way, as well as a run to the MLS Next Cup semifinals, with Saidi scoring another 2 goals. Perhaps his biggest accomplishment of the season was making his pro debut for Philadelphia Union II in MLS Next Pro, coming off the bench and playing 17 minutes in a 3-1 win over Columbus Crew 2, even creating a big chance with a through ball to U17 teammate Jamir Johnson that probably should have ended in a goal. Since the MLS Next season is now over, expect to see Saidi get more chances with Union II.

Saidi has been a top prospect for several years, making his USYNT debut with the U15s back in January 2023 and even captaining the team at multiple camps. He most notably featured in all 3 matches of the Pinatar Super Cup in April 2023, playing against England, Spain, and Japan. However, Anisse is a Tunisian-American dual national, and explored his other nationality last November when he accepted a call up to Tunisia’s U17s. He will fight to make the USYNT squad for the CONCACAF U17 Championship and then the U17 World Cup in 2025 if they qualify, but if not he can try and help Tunisia qualify for their first U17 World Cup since 2013. 

Amidst this European interest, it is a good time to remind readers that youth players are allowed to move abroad to Europe at 16 as long as they have an EU passport. Since Saidi only has American and Tunisian passports, he does not fit the criteria and thus can only move to Europe once he turns 18, unless his family moves there for work, which has been the case in the past for Americans Jack Mize and Mathis Albert of Borussia Dortmund. Both USYNT players joined the German giants at the age of 14, Mize moving back in fall of 2022 and Albert completing his move this July once the transfer window opens. Although he cannot make the move official for another 2 years, Saidi can still agree to sign with a European club, which is what his longtime Union and USYNT teammate Cavan Sullivan did recently for Premier League champions Manchester City. This means we could see Anisse stay with the Union for the next couple of seasons and push to make his first team debut before moving on to Europe. Regardless of what decision Saidi makes in the long run, his potential is sky-high and he will aim to prove that to Sporting CP and SC Braga during these trials.