Overview
- Multiple outlets reported on Tuesday, August 18, that Philadelphia and Toulouse have agreed a deal for McKenzie to rejoin the Union in the January 2027 transfer window for about $2.5 million, though neither club had publicly confirmed the move.
- Reports say McKenzie will stay with Toulouse through the first half of their 2026–27 season before joining Philadelphia in January 2027.
- McKenzie is a 27-year-old center back who rose through the Union academy, spent time at Genk and Toulouse, and has about 30 caps for the U.S. men’s national team including appearances at the 2026 World Cup.
- The Union expect to register McKenzie as a Designated Player, a roster designation that lets clubs carry higher-paid players outside strict salary-cap limits, and plan to pair him with academy prospect Neil Pierre in central defense.
- The reported signing would position Philadelphia for MLS’s inaugural ‘sprint season’ and the calendar shift, strengthen the club’s defense immediately, and also allow McKenzie to return home to the U.S. for family reasons when the move is finalized.