Union trade Jakob Glesnes, rights to Jamir Johnson to LA Galaxy

Jakob Glesnes is the latest member of the Union on the wrong side of 30 to find his time with the club up.

The Union on Monday finalized a deal shipping the center back and the Homegrown Priority to winger Jamir Johnson to the Los Angeles Galaxy for a guaranteed $1.1 million in general allocation money.

That money is spread over 2026 and 2027, with performance bonuses that could up it another $1.1 million if performance metrics are hit. The Union also retain a future trade and sell-on percentage on Johnson.

Glesnes’ contract is guaranteed for the next two years with an option for 2028.

Glesnes bid farewell to Philadelphia, where he signed before the 2020 season, on Instagram earlier in the day.

“I’m sad to announce that my time in Philadelphia has come to an end,” Glesnes wrote. “I just want to say thank you for the last 6 years. You guys took my family and me in with open arms and made us feel welcome from day one. We have met some great people on the way and made a lot of good friends in and around the club. Philly will always be special to us.”

Glesnes is sixth in club history with 181 MLS appearances. He scored nine goals and 10 assists and was part of the Supporters’ Shield wins in both 2020 and 2025.

The Norwegian was voted MLS Defender of the Year in 2022 and finished second in balloting for that award in 2025. He’s a three-time All-Star and two-time Best XI winner. That included a bounce-back year this season in which he played 31 league games.

“Jakob has been an integral part of our defensive unit and the success they have had during his time with the club,” Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell said in a press release. “Since joining the Union, he has played a major role in the team’s success, and we remain grateful for his leadership on and off the field. This move provides significant financial opportunities to continue to invest and strengthen our roster while reinforcing our competitive strategy. This also allows Jakob to continue competing at a high level in MLS where we’re confident he’ll continue to be successful. We wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career.”

Johnson, 17, is a winger who has played for the U.S. U-17 team. He scored two goals and an assist in limited appearances with Union II last year. He was a big part of the Union’s run to the U-15 Generation Adidas Cup final in 2023, then the U-17 win in 2017.