St. Louis Lands Red Bulls Midfielder in Bold Gateway-to-Gateway Swap
St. Louis CITY SC just made their first splash of the 2026 offseason, pulling off a cross-conference trade that lands them Daniel Edelman from the New York Red Bulls. The 22-year-old midfielder is heading west after four seasons in the Big Apple, and CITY are banking on him bringing that high-energy, box-to-box style that defined New York’s run to last year’s MLS Cup final.
The deal wasn’t cheap. The Red Bulls extracted up to $850,000 in General Allocation Money from St. Louis—$500k in 2026 money, another $200k the following year, plus an additional $150k if Edelman hits certain performance benchmarks. New York also secured a percentage of any future sale or trade, the classic “we’ll take our cut if he becomes a star” clause that’s become standard in MLS player movement.
What St. Louis Is Getting
Edelman isn’t some unproven prospect. He logged 118 appearances for the Red Bulls after signing as a homegrown player in 2022, chipping in three goals and two assists while becoming a fixture in New York’s midfield. He captained the U.S. at the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup, showing he can handle pressure on big stages.
“Daniel is a ball-winning, high-intensity midfielder whose addition will bring even more competition to our midfield group,” said St. Louis sporting director Corey Wray. “He has played significant MLS minutes despite his young age and has shown maturity in his performances.”
Translation: They’re getting a guy who can cover ground, win tackles, and doesn’t need babysitting. For a CITY side looking to rebound under new head coach Yoann Damet, that’s exactly the type of addition that raises the floor of your roster.
New York Resets, St. Louis Reloads
For the Red Bulls, this move signals a shift. They’re stockpiling allocation money and betting on roster flexibility after coming up just short in 2024. Edelman served them well—Julian de Guzman made sure to thank him publicly for his “professionalism and dedication”—but sometimes you cash in on a young asset to rebuild around other pieces.
St. Louis, meanwhile, is building toward Damet’s first campaign as head coach. Their 2026 season kicks off February 21 against Charlotte FC, and Edelman will be expected to contribute immediately. No honeymoon period here—CITY need results, and they need them fast.
This is the kind of move that doesn’t grab headlines but quietly changes a team’s trajectory. St. Louis just added a proven MLS midfielder who’s still young enough to get better. If Edelman hits those performance metrics, New York gets paid twice. If he doesn’t, well, CITY still got a guy who can play 30-plus games a season. Sometimes the smartest deals are the boring ones.
