Philadelphia Union Sign Forward Sal Olivas to Homegrown Deal Through 2028
Young forward becomes the 29th Homegrown signing in club history after standout season with Union II.
Chester, Pa. — The Philadelphia Union have announced the signing of forward Sal Olivas to a Homegrown contract through 2028, with an option for 2029, making him the 29th Homegrown player in club history.
Olivas, 18, had his best season yet with Philadelphia Union II last year, appearing in 20 games (13 starts), scoring four goals, and providing one assist in 1,489 minutes.
“Sal is an ambitious, young striker who made significant strides in his development with Union II last season” said Philadelphia Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner. “He’s a high-pressing player who drives the ball forward and can create chances on the attack. His signing to the first team will provide him the opportunity to continue to develop and learn from our coaching staff and gain the necessary experience by playing alongside our veteran players.”
Olivas joined the Union Academy at 16 and played a key role in the Philadelphia Union U17s' 2023 Generation Adidas Cup victory in Bradenton, Florida, scoring in the semifinals to secure a spot in the final against FC Dallas.
With dual citizenship, Olivas is eligible to represent both the U.S. and Mexico. On August 5, 2023, he was called up to Mexico’s U17 Men's Youth National Team and played in a friendly against Pumas' U18 squad.
To date, he has appeared in 29 games (13 starts) for Union II, scoring four goals and providing one assist in 1,591 minutes. His first goal for the club was a game-winner against New England Revolution II on March 24, 2024, in the 81st minute, sealing a 2-1 victory for Union II. He recorded his first brace for the club on June 2, 2024, in a 3-1 win over Columbus Crew 2.
Olivas becomes the fourth Homegrown signing this offseason for the Union, joining Eddy Davis, Neil Pierre, and Frankie Westfield.
The Union’s roster currently stands at 31 players, and they have until today, Friday, February 21, to become roster compliant.
It remains to be seen whom the Union will register as an “Off-Roster Homegrown” or if they will use Roster Slot 31. An Off-Roster Homegrown designation allows the Union to remove a player 21 years or younger from the roster, ensuring that player does not count against the club’s Salary Budget for the 2025 season. Off-Roster Homegrown Players are ineligible for MLS League Season competition except as short-term call-ups, which are limited to six per season. However, these players can participate an unlimited number of times in cup competitions such as the Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, U.S. Open Cup, Canadian Championship, and friendlies.
Roster Slot 31 may be used for a player on a season-long loan to a lower-division club in the U.S. or Canada, provided that:
(i) the player is 24 years old or younger during the League Year,
(ii) their Salary Budget Charge is at or below the MLS Senior Minimum Salary level, and
(iii) the MLS club does not retain the right to recall them during the remainder of the season.
A player in Slot 31 is ineligible to compete in MLS competition except as a Short-Term Call-Up, with a maximum of six allowed.
Thanks for sharing this information. It would be interesting to know what TAM and GAM are and how these are used by a club, as well as budget caps and any additional sources of revenue that are available/limit the ability to fill out a roster. For example, how is it that Miami seems to have unlimited resources (i.e. On your podcast your guest mentioned that they are able to spend several million dollars on a defensive player) when they already have a number of big names on their roster. Compare this to the Union who seem to be constrained by a salary cap when it comes to signing a big name player.