Minnesota United are negotiating the moves of two players to St. Louis City, the Pioneer Press confirmed Sunday.

GiveMeSport said winger/wingback Sang Bin Jeong is expected to leave on a permanent move to St. Louis, in exchange for an undisclosed amount of cash, while defender Devin Padelford will head out to the Western Conference foe on a loan.

One source emphasized the deals are not finalized.

Neither player was on the 20-man team for MNUFC’s 4-1 win over San Jose at Allianz Field on Saturday, and these pending deals appear to be groundwork transactions heading into what is expected to be a busy summer transfer window for the Loons.

The window opens July 24, and Jeong and Padelford may or may not play or be a part of the Loons’ team again before that date.

Jeong was earning $737,458 in guaranteed compensation, according to the MLS Players’ Association, an outsized number compared to his lack of production or playing time.

Jeong, a 23-year-old South Korean who recently acquired his U.S. Green Card, has struggled in front of goal this season. He hasn’t gotten on the scoresheet in 319 MLS minutes this year; he was mostly ineffectual in the opening 45 minutes during the Loons’ 3-1 win over Chicago in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday.

Jeong was linked in a move to Malmo last month, but reports had the Swedish club declining United’s $2 million transfer fee. If St. Louis pays that total, it will be a one-to-one return on the approximately $2 million fee MNUFC paid for him two years ago.

The fast winger also drew interest from at least one MLS club in the Eastern Conference earlier this year, the Pioneer Press previously reported.

In his first season after a transfer from Grasshopper in Switzerland in 2023, Jeong had two goal contributions (one goal, one assist) in 962 minutes for Minnesota. He more productive in 2024 with six goals and one assist in 2,171 minutes last season.

Jeong went from forward to wingback and back to his preferred position of forward in his last two years in Minnesota; that switch factored into his inconsistency.

Padelford, a homegrown player from Maplewood, has struggled to crack the first team this year.

The 22-year-old received 1,589 minutes a year ago, but in a transition from left fullback to left-sided center back, he has found himself buried on the depth chart in 2025 and has played only 105 minutes across four matches this season.

Padelford, who is on a paltry salary of $121,000, per the MLSPA, could use this time to get back into form before a return to his home state, possibly in 2026.

Minnesota and St. Louis did a deadline-day trade of Anthony Markanich to Minnesota last August. Markanich has developed into a quality player for the Loons, contributing to a goal in five straight matches in all competitions.