Cristian Arrieta Says Goodbye To Teammates, Denies The Brotherly Game Report

This article is a follow up to the article by the Brotherly Game's Scott Kessler on Cristian Arrieta's future with the Philadelphia Union.

Wearing the Union name across his chest and a pair of warmups that bore the club's crest, Cristian Arrieta said his goodbyes to his teammates with the expansion franchise.

The Union's training staff conducted its end-of-the-year evaluations with players at the Healthplex in Springfield, Delaware County. There, Arrieta was asked to comment on a story featured this month on The Brotherly Game, in which Arrieta's place with the Union for next season was up in the air.

The source close to Arrieta and Union manager Peter Nowak declared that the two were at ends with each other.

"It's not true," Arrieta said Wednesday. "I liked my time here. I liked Peter. If they don't want me back, I understand because that's soccer, you know? I like Philadelphia. I think I adjusted very nicely."

Arrieta was a staple in the starting 11. He got 15 starts and 16 appearances at the right back slot, though his playing time dwindled toward the end of the season. Late-season addition Sheanon Williams proved to be more versatile than Arrieta down the stretch.

Nowak, who is out of the country, was unavailable for comment.