Four questions: Julián Carranza acquisition

News of the Philadelphia Union’s first offseason acquisition dropped yesterday with the announcement of a season-long loan — with an option to buy — of Inter Miami forward Julian Carranza. I reached out to Florida-based SB Nation writer Saul Garcia to ask him a few questions about Carranza.

Today’s news came as a little bit of a shock to Union fans hoping for a striker signing before Christmas. It’s the first time the Union have loaned in a player from within the league like this. Was it a surprise to you to see Inter Miami loan out Carranza for just a second round draft pick?

No, it was not a huge surprise. Miami after being hit by the sanctions earlier this season have needed to maneuver around the cap carefully and getting rid of a young DP does that. The compensation could have been better, but to get his large salary off (750k) justifies it.

How would you summarize his career in MLS so far? Given the price tag and his salary it looks like hasn’t panned out quite the way Inter Miami was hoping.

Disappointing. He was brought in to much fanfare (and money) together with Matias Pellegrini and they both had around 8g/a in 60 matches. For the money, it was a very poor showing. I get that they are teenagers so some leeway was expected. Still, this was far below expectations.

Loans, particular for young players, can be really good for jumpstarting a career. What do you see as the positives/negatives for the parties involved on this deal?

I see this as a huge win. Get a big salary off as Miami continues to re-tool the roster and bring a young DP with a bit more seasoning seems a win for Miami. It is a big contract for the Union to take on so I don’t know if this is the right move, but if he sees success a big payoff could come for Philly.

What else can you say about Carranza to help Union fans get a better feel for what to expect with him on the squad in 2022?

He’s got talent that much is clear. He was moderately successful in Argentina and failed in Miami. I do think with a stable team and coaching staff he can double his numbers. He’s got speed, can play back to goal and is not afraid of tough play. He’s solid and could be better. For a second round flyer, I’d say Philly did pretty well here.