Union Sign Norwegian Defender Jakob Glesnes
On January 31st the Union bolstered their backline by signing center back Jakob Glesnes to a deal.
This move adds even more depth to the defense and solidifies their roster heading into the season.
Glesnes is coming from Stromsgodset Toppfotball and he inked a two-year contract with a club option for a third and fourth year using Targeted Allocation money in exchange for an undisclosed transfer fee.
Glesnes will be added to the Union’s active roster following receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P1 Visa and will then occupy an international roster slot.
The 25-year-old has experience playing in the top tier Norwegian league, Eliteserien. Glesnes first played for Norwegian First Division club Asane in 2015 before landing on first-tier club Sarpsborg where he notched his debut in March of 2016. He played for Stromsgodset IF from 2016-2020 and had his best season in the 2018/19 campaign where he made 30 appearances and recorded three assists.
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In his time with Stromsgodset IF, the Norwegian tallied 113 matches, scored three goals and added seven assists. While these numbers are certainly not eye-popping, they are commendable for a defender based on his main responsibility, which is to defend the opponent’s scoring chances throughout the match.
Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner spoke about the signing by stating, “To become a captain of a club at 25-years-old is a remarkable feat for a young player and what attracted us to Jakob in addition to his strong aerial presence and front-foot defense. Coming from a club with a similar style of play, Jakob will be able to easily transition into our system, making him a valuable asset to our defense and club.”
Glesnes also made 24 appearances, scored two goals and notched two assists in the NM-Cup in seven separate seasons with three different clubs. He made his first appearance for the Norwegian Men’s U21 national team on October 7, 2016 and he was called up to represent the senior Norway Men’s National Team in October of 2019.
Glesnes will wear No. 5 for the Boys in Blue and become the sixth player in franchise history to wear the kit number.
The Sotra, Norway native was named Norwegian soccer’s Role Model of the Year and Stromsgodset’s Community Player of the Year in 2017 for his tireless work with the community youth soccer program, Blue Hour. The 6’2″ tall defender has plenty of potential with his big frame and international experience, as he will look to make an impact immediately. His initial role may be sitting on the bench to get a feel for the league early on, but if the starting backline begins to struggle, expect Glesnes to replace one of them.
Mark McKenzie is projected to be spending some time away from the club with the United States U-23 Olympic qualifying team, so that will lead the door open for Glesnes and Aurelien Collin to fall his spot as a starter.
This is a good situation to have for manager Jim Curtin, as he will always have top defenders at his disposal. Tanner has shown his desire to upgrade and improve Philadelphia’s roster this offseason, and he has made plenty of moves to justify his plans.
Welcome to Philadelphia, Jakob!
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