Breaking News: Union Signing Forward Milan Iloski

Photo Credit: mlssoccer.com

The Philadelphia Union entered the Summer window in prime position to earn some silverware this year. However, even with the first place spot in the Eastern Conference and Supporters' Shield standings, the fans have wanted a Summer signing. Daniel Gazdag was sent to Columbus earlier this season, and Indy Vassilev has filled in for Daniel, alongside Quinn Sullivan. Despite their success this year, the Union had a glaring flaw in their roster. Quinn Sullivan was absent from the club for several weeks during the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which made it crystal clear that the attacking depth and offensive production without Sullivan was an issue. Thankfully, Quinn has returned in good form, and the three strikers are healthy and finding the back of the net.

It seems that Ernst Tanner and the Union Front Office had similar concerns regarding the offensive capabilities of the squad. On Friday afternoon, Tom Bogert broke the news that the Union are finalizing a deal to bring Milan Iloski into the mix.

Who is Milan?

Milan Iloski just turned 26 on July 29th and is from Escondido, California. He played soccer at UCLA and spent time in USL League Two with FC Golden State Force and Ogden City SC.

Milan signed a Homegrown contract with Real Salt Lake in January of 2020 and then went on to play for Real Monarchs and Orange County SC in the USL Championship. He did well in USL Championship and won the 2022 USL Golden Boot while at Orange County SC (22 goals on the season). Iloski's travels continued in 2023 when he found himself in the Danish Superliga with FC Nordsjælland. Per FotMob, Milan had 2 goals and notched 301 minutes over 16 matches.

Iloski would find himself back in North America in 2025. Major League Soccer's newest club, San Diego FC, acquired Milan on loan from FC Nordsjælland in April. These two clubs are connected via the Right to Dream Community. Milan would find his most success during San Diego's first season in MLS. Iloski earned 10 goals and 1 assist in 14 matches, only three of which he started. It should be mentioned that Milan took 31 shots this season, with 19 of them being on target. Needless to say, Iloski found immediate and frequent success with one of the best clubs in the Western Conference. If you want to see one of his goals, I added his score against Houston here.

On July 15, 2025, it was announced that Milan and San Diego had mutually agreed to terminate the loan and Iloski would rejoin FC Nordsjælland.

How Does He Fit?

Bradley Carnell has shown his desire for versatile players. We have seen this throughout the season, especially with international duty and injuries forcing him to shuffle the roster. We have seen Bedoya at right back, Jovan Lukic at center back, and Vassilev and Rafanello at attacking mid, defensive mid, and right back (for Jeremy). So, what does that mean for Milan? Well, there's two ways I see this panning out. First, he is used as a fourth striker and will relieve either Baribo, Uhre, or Tai. We have seen the experimentation with Olivas, Anderson, and Donovan as the fourth option, but only Markus has been able to find the back of the net in limited time. With the addition of Milan, Carnell will have two fresh and capable starters to throw at tired legs for the final 30 minutes of each match.

I also wouldn't be surprised if Carnell uses Iloski as an alternative for Indy Vassilev. Vassilev's motor and press have been a crucial part of the team's success, but it's clear that Indy isn't as lethal in the final third as Quinn Sullivan. I would love to see how Milan and Quinn could operate together behind the forwards.

Unlike past seasons, I expect this Tanner signing to play immediately. Iloski has already played in MLS and should be in good condition to see minutes. In the past, Curtin inexplicably kept options on the bench. We saw this with Andres Perea, Jesus Bueno, and Davo. I do not have the same concern when it comes to Coach Carnell. He plays his full roster, and this year's club is on pace to have their best season in team history.

Lastly, this move should draw some attention to the future of Mikael Uhre and Tai Baribo. Mikael will be out of a contract after this season, while Tai has a club option for 2026. There is a real possibility that one, if not both, are gone next season. At the very least, Tanner is adding in proven depth alongside Bruno Damiani. I hope that Tanner finds a way to keep both players, but we'll see if Ernst has any other tricks up his sleeve before the Summer window ends.

The Philadelphia Union are back to MLS action on August 9th against Toronto. We'll see if Milan sees some minutes with a week to prepare. After the match, you can watch the AAT Sports Network Post Game Show on Facebook and YouTube. We go live about 15 minutes after the final whistle. Doop!