The Philadelphia Union capped off a flurry of transfer deadline day activity by trading for New England Revolution forward Charlie Davies, the team announced on Thursday morning.
The Union sent General Allocation Money, Targeted Allocation Money and their first round pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft to New England in exchange for Davies. Philadelphia also received New England’s third round pick in the 2018 SuperDraft.
The trade came after the Union made two prior blockbuster moves on Wednesday, first making a trade with the Chicago Fire to acquire the rights to sign US national team midfielder Alejandro Bedoya from French club FC Nantes, and then trading longtime winger Sebastien Le Toux to the Colorado Rapids. The 30-year-old Davies figures to provide another attacking option in place of Le Toux, who left the Union as the club leader in games played, goals and assists.
The move also comes a few days after Davies revealed he had been diagnosed with, and treated for, liposarcoma, a rare form of cancer, and on Saturday he returned to the field for the first time since April 27, playing the final 15 minutes as a substitute in New England’s 3-1 loss to Orlando City. Davies has played in nine games (three starts) and scored one goal this season for the Revs after scoring 10 goals in 33 games (25 starts) in 2015.
“Charlie adds another dynamic dimension to our attack and is exactly the type of player we targeted during this (transfer) window,’’ Union sporting director Earnie Stewart said about Davies in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be able to add another player of quality and look forward to welcoming him to the club.’’
Davies has had many challenges off the field since turning professional with Danish side Hammarby in 2007. In 2009 he was a passenger in a fatal car crash in Washington, D.C., while with the US national team. This March, his wife, Nina, gave birth to twin sons who were three months premature. The boys stayed in the hospital for two months before going home in June. It was shortly after the twins’ birth that Davies was diagnosed with liposarcoma.
He will be eligible for selection when the Union visit D.C. United (7 pm ET, MLS LIVE), and he will get a chance to play against his old team next Saturday, when the Union visit New England at Gillette Stadium on Aug. 13.
