Former Union Academy forward signs with second division club in Belgium

Another former Philadelphia Union Academy player is starting his professional career in Europe.

Chad Letts, who spent two seasons with the Union before moving back home to Atlanta to play for Atlanta United’s academy, has signed a professional deal with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, a second division club in Belgium.

The Jamaican youth international would be a senior at YSC Academy had he not opted to return home in summer 2017. Letts had 17 goals in 31 appearances for Atlanta United’s U19 team last season after scoring 15 goals in 33 appearances between the U17 and U19 teams for the Union.

USG is based in the Belgium capital of Brussels and finished sixth last season in the Belgium First Division B.

Letts is the latest in a growing list of former Union Academy players to head to Europe.

Rayshaun McGann, another former Philadelphia Union Academy player who joined Atlanta United’s academy after leaving the Union, has spent time with Getafe CF’s youth setup in Spain, but no announcement of him signing a professional deal has been made.

Former Philadelphia Union Academy goalkeeper and YSC Academy student CJ dos Santos is a pro in Portugal, working his way up through the youth ranks of first division club S.L. Benfica.

Philadelphia Union Academy grad Darius Lewis earlier this week signed a pro deal with KÍ Klaksvík in the Faroe Islands and Raheem Taylor-Parkes left the University of Virginia to sign a pro deal in August with with FC Stade Lausanne-Ouchy, a third division club in Switzerland.