“Nothing Changed” on Kai Wagner Transfer Situation

No concrete offers have come in for Philadelphia Union left back Kai Wagner as he enters the final year of his current MLS contract.

Philadelphia Union left back Kai Wagner has had his name in the transfer news cycle for a few transfer windows now.

The 26-year-old MLS Best XI player reported to camp with his teammates last week to prepare for the 2023 season.

Wagner’s future was the main topic of discussion on Monday in Chester.

“Nothing has changed,” Union manager Jim Curtin said. “Selfishly, as a manager, I’m happy by that. Obviously I want what’s best for Kai and understand his dream and goal to play in Europe, but I also know he loves Philadelphia and so does his family. Hopefully we find a solution where he is very happy here, and I think you know what that means, or he’s happy with a transfer that makes sense for the club. It’s very amicable on both sides.”

Wagner, Curtin and sporting director Ernst Tanner are all looking out for the best for the left back, which is a nice change from the transfer drama that plays out around the world.

“It’s not a situation where he is coming in and knocking on my door and saying ‘Get me the hell out of here or anything like that’,” Curtin said.

Wagner spent most of the off-season in Germany and used the time off to get over the MLS Cup loss to Los Angeles FC and prepare himself for a busy 2023 season in which the Union will compete on four fronts.

“I haven’t had a lot of conversations in the last months because I think everybody just had to calm down a little bit from last season,” Wagner said. “It was a long year. To get the recognition is helpful. I was just shutting down a little bit after the loss to LAFC. It was a hard time for everybody, but I think everybody got focused and is ready to go again. Hopefully we can get to a final again and win it.”

One of the options on the table is a long-term contract extension to keep Wagner in MLS.

Wagner is starting the last year of his current contract. He made $581,000 in guaranteed compensation in 2022, per the MLS player salary database release in September.

“It’s early now so I’m not focused on a new contract. I’m just focused on myself. I didn’t make the decision for myself yet if I stay here for the last year of my contract or move. I have to talk a lot with my family, Jim and Ernst. I think a decision will be soon. I know what the Union gave me in the last few years. I just focus now on the preseason for now,” Wagner said.

The Union recently shelled out a Designated Player contract to Daniel Gazdag that keeps the Hungarian midfielder in MLS until at least 2025.

That option could work for Wagner if he believes the Union present the best situation for his career.

For the Union, a new long-term Wagner deal would lock up a vital member of the team’s core for multiple years.

Matt Real and Anton Sorensen are on the roster as left backs. Leon Flach could play there in a pinch as well.

Nothing has materialized yet, but Curtin knows how quickly things can change in a transfer window.

“It’s fluid. It can change really quick,” Curtin said. “And you will see as this transfer window closes, not just with us, but with teams all over the world, everyone’s targets maybe shift or change or some things fall through.”

“Things can change fast,” Curtin continued. “We have to be on our toes if he does go. I can’t say enough good things about Kai and the professionalism he’s had during this whole thing. It’s been a couple windows where it comes up. We’ll see what happens, but nothing is new. I’m not one of those guys that hides and lies and gives you guys BS. It’s just the reality of things. No concrete offers.”