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Union sign English striker Jay Simpson, formerly of Leyton Orient and Arsenal

The Union filled one of their biggest offseason needs by signing 28-year-old forward Jay Simpson as a Discovery Signing using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM).

The Union filled one of their biggest offseason needs by signing 28-year-old forward Jay Simpson as a Discovery Signing using Targeted Allocation Money (TAM).

Each Major League Soccer team has a Discovery list of up to seven players who are not under contract to MLS and are not subject to another mechanism (such as the SuperDraft or Allocation Process).

TAM allows clubs to invest in a class of players making between $480,625 and $1 million. It allows teams to bring that player's salary budget figure down.

In 2017, each of the 22 MLS clubs will receive $1.2 million of Targeted Allocation Money.

The 5-foot-11, 186-pound Simpson played for six clubs in England and one in Thailand. He most recently played for Leyton Orient, currently in the Fourth Tier in English League Two, where in his last full season, 2015-2016, he scored 25 goals in 45 league appearances.

He has played at the highest level in England, having scored his first English Premier League goal for West Bromwich Albion on Jan, 31, 2009 against Hull City.

Most recently, he scored 36 goals in 99 appearances for Leyton Orient.

Simpson will occupy the Union's seventh and final international slot. (The Union traded one slot and will have eight for the 2018 season).

Last week, Union sporting director Earnie Stewart said that his two remaining priorities were a forward and a center back.

"Jay brings goal-scoring prowess to our team in addition to a valuable veteran presence as he has demonstrated with multiple clubs in England," Stewart said in a statement released by the team. "He has played at the highest levels of club soccer, including the Premier League, and we are excited to add a forward of his quality to our squad."

This is the Union's second international and Discovery signing within the past week. The Union signed Dutch left back Giliano Wijnaldum last week.

Without a first-round pick in Friday's MLS SuperDraft, if the Union is to add a center back, they likely will make a trade.

The Union report to begin training on Jan. 23 and open their eighth MLS season on March 5 at Vancouver.

mnarducci@phillynews.com