⚽️ Kai Wagner Contract Negotiations Spill Into Public

_{LAST MATCH: Union 2 - FC Cincinnati 2}

_{NEXT MATCH: at Charlotte FC, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 7:30 p.m. | Apple TV - Free}

Good morning. Kai Wagner’s future with the Philadelphia Union is again in doubt with another round of contract negotiations spilling over into the public. Fans Saturday night got involved by chanting “Pay Kai Wagner” but how much is a team known for being frugal willing to spend on a left back?

In the email today:

Kai Wagner’s future in Philadelphia remains uncertain. Following public comments about his contract situation and comments from Sporting Director Ernst Tanner, fans during Saturday’s game were chanting “Pay Kai Wagner.”

• Kai’s response to the chant: “I don’t want to say much about it anymore. I think everybody knows my standpoint. I don’t ask for much. I don’t ask for crazy money. Everybody should know that I’m happy here and my family loves it here. I love the team. I love the fans, but on the other side I think the fans should get a little more out of the team.”

• Tanner a Day Earlier, according to a Delco Times article: “The outside back positions are not the highest paid. That’s how it is. He is an excellent outside back, without any question, and that’s what we acknowledged already in what we’re paying and we would’ve improved, but we can’t go to hemispheres where we set the wrong tone.”

Our take: Kai hasn’t been shy in the past about his desire to go back to Europe, but no concrete deals have surfaced. He deserves to get paid for his contributions to the Union, but the Union budget and league rules designed to encourage parity limit that. Even seeking free agency within the league would be a challenge since there are limits on how much more he could seek in free agency. He’s the best left back in the league and deserves to be paid as such. Sadly, the going rate for the best left back in the league isn’t quite where it probably should be.

2) 😈 The Union Have Demons to Exorcise in Charlotte

The Union are heading to Charlotte on Wednesday for their second time playing at Bank of America Stadium. The first time, last October, did not go well.

In fact, it was their worst defeat since 2019 and by far the worst defeat in a season that ended in the MLS Cup final.

The summary of the game on its own reads like something out of a horror movie.

Our take: Charlotte is one of two games left on the Union schedule that will be played in NFL venues on turf. A win or even a draw could be a momentum boost for the return home on a proper soccer pitch against LAFC on Saturday. With Charlotte fighting for playoff position, the Union have a chance to avenge 2022 and play the role of spoiler in a game that should favor the hosts.

3) 🍕 Video of the Day: Messi Pizza Breakdown

It turns out Lionel Messi doesn’t even have to play on the weekend to be the most talked about player in MLS.

While it doesn’t make our water cooler section today, ask yourself: is that even pizza?

4) 💧 Water Cooler: 4-4-2 or 3-5-2?

Have additional thoughts? Reply directly to this email to comment, and see if we include your response tomorrow.

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Results from our last poll What’s More Important: 71.43% said revenge on LAFC is more important than Charlotte FC away

5) 🔗 Link Roundup:

• 🥊 CF Montreal midfielder Matko Miljevic had his contract terminated after moonlighting under a fake name in a local amateur league and getting himself suspended for punching an opponent.

• ⚰️ Sak is back! The former Philadelphia Union executive, who was the target of an unforgettable coffin protest by Union fans in 2015, is back in soccer as the CEO of Hartford Athletic. He’ll be reunited there with former Union forward Antoine Hoppenot. Jack McGlynn’s older brother, Conor McGlynn, also plays for Hartford.

• 📸 Photo gallery from Saturday’s game against FC Cincinnati.

• 🔟 Daniel Gazdag etched his name in the MLS record book with his 10th PK of the season, becoming the first in league history to reach double digits in penalties in one season.

The newsletter today was written by: Matt Ralph @MattRalph_

Thanks for reading!