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D.C. United is in advanced negotiations with the Philadelphia Union to sign Israel international forward Tai Baribo, sources briefed on the situation tell The Athletic.
D.C. has made a cash trade offer in the region of $4 million, sources add. Baribo would be a designated player in D.C. if a deal gets done and would serve as a replacement for Christian Benteke, who is a free agent after his contract option was declined.
No deal is yet agreed upon, and D.C. is not the only team working on a deal to sign Baribo, sources add.
Baribo, 27, scored 19 goals in just over 2,300 minutes in all competitions for the Union last season. He has been asking the club for a new contract due to improved performances. The forward had 16 goals in around 2,000 minutes in 2024. He first joined the Union in 2023 but didn’t earn regular playing time until ’24.
With Baribo as their leading scorer, the Union won the 2025 Supporters’ Shield under head coach Bradley Carnell, who was in his first season with the club. In looking ahead after a playoff exit in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Union have signed 20-year-old forward Ezekiel Alladoh on a club-record deal worth around $4.5 million.
Philly already has Bruno Damiani, who was previously the club-record signing, and Milan Iloski as options up top. The club is also still in talks with out-of-contract forward Mikael Uhre about a return.
D.C., meanwhile, finished last in MLS last season with 26 points and is undergoing an overhaul.