Philadelphia Union transfer rumor tracker

1/28/2020

Norwegian center back Jakob Glesnes has been linked to the Philadelphia Union. This would give the Union a fourth center back and cover for Mark McKenzie when he’s away on international duty.

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1/10/2020

Miro is Coming Back

There was plenty of reason to doubt it would happen, but Jamiro Monteiro is reportedly coming back for a potential club-record transfer fee of $1.7 million to FC Metz that could rise to $2 million pending incentives.

Burke Reportedly has Austrian Bundesliga Interest

Transfermarkt sites an unlinked report in Austria noting interest from St. Polten in a permanent transfer for Cory Burke, who has reportedly gotten his visa issues straightened out.

Matej Oravec Closing in on Deal with Union

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1/6/2020

21-year-old Matej Oravec linked to the Union in this Twitter post. Translation via Google Translate: “According to unofficial reports, Matej Oravec should move from Dunajska Streda to MLS Philadelphia Union. On the contrary, DAC is interested in Serbian youth representative Dominik Ding from Partizan Belgrade.”

According to Transfermarkt, his value is $513k and he plays defensive midfield and on the back line as a center back and right back.

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12/23/2019

The Union have made their first signing of the off-season, inking 25-year-old Venezuelan midfielder Jose Andres Martinez to a contract. They reportedly paid a transfer fee of $325k and have signed him to a two-year deal with an option for a third.

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12/19/2019

The Philadelphia Union are reportedly interested in 22-year-old Czech Republic midfielder Jan Vodhanel. Transfermarkt lists him as a left or right-sided midfielder and lists his value at $684,000.

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12/16/2019

Defensive midfielder Jose Andres Martinez “Brujo” Estaria has been linked to the Philadelphia Union. The 25-year-old plays for Zulia FC in his native Venezuela.

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12/3/2019

The Philadelphia Union have reportedly made a bid for 27-year-old central midfielder Fredrik Ulvestad, who plays for Djurgårdens IF in the Swedish top flight but he reportedly is only interested in leaving for another club in Europe.

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11/26/2019

Fafa Picault is heading to FC Dallas in exchanger for $300k guaranteed in 2020 general allocation money and up to $75k additional in general allocation money for 2021.

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11/25/2019

Haris Medunjanin selected by FC Cincinnati in the MLS Waiver Draft. It doesn’t mean he’ll for sure be going to Cincinnati, but if he’s going to stay in MLS they now have his rights.

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11/23/2019

Here we go again with another Mario Balotelli to MLS rumor.

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11/20/2019

Today was a banner news day in Chester. Auston Trusty was traded to Colorado and news broke that Marco Fabian’s option was declined and the team has not offered Haris Medunjanin a contract for next season.

The team confirmed the Fabian and Medunjanin news and also announced that Fabinho and RJ Allen had their options declined and that offers have been extended to Jamiro Monteiro, Ilsinho, Aurelien Collin and Fafa Picault.

This leaves the roster for 2020 at 20.

Brenden Aaronson, Alejandro Bedoya, Joe Bendik, Andre Blake, Cory Burke*, Warren Creavalle, Jack de Vries, Jack Elliott*, Anthony Fontana, Matt Freese, Raymon Gaddis, Olivier Mbaizo*, Mark McKenzie, Michee Ngalina*, Kacper Przybylko*, Matt Real, Sergio Santos*, Cole Turner, Kai Wagner*, Andrew Wooten

* Occupied an international roster spot last season

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11/19/2019

Philadelphia Union go unscathed again, don’t lose a player in the MLS Expansion Draft

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11/16/2019

MLS Expansion Draft lists of available players were released today

Haris Medunjanin, Marco Fabian, Michee Ngalina, Olivier Mbaizo, Fabinho, RJ Allen, Joe Bendik, Aurelien Collin and Warren Creavalle were left unprotected.

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11/14/2019

According to a team spokesperson, Matt Real is in Austria on a training stint. It looks like Anthony Fontana is also there.

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Mexican striker Alan Pulido reportedly has a DP offer from an unnamed MLS team.

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11/7/2019

Julian Gressel is reportedly “happy to listen to other teams that are interested in him.”

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10/31/19

Carlos Tevez to MLS rumor

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10/31/19

The Union released roster statuses for the 2020 season for its players today.

5 are out of contract: Aurelien Collin, Ilsinho and Haris Medunjanin are all out of contract along with Fafa Picault and Jamiro Monteiro

12 have options: RJ Allen, Fabinho, Joe Bendik, Cory Burke, Warren Creavalle, Marco Fabian, Anthony Fontana, Olivier Mbaizo, Mark McKenzie, Michee Ngalina, Matt Real and Auston Trusty

12 are guaranteed for 2020: Brenden Aaronson, Alejandro Bedoya, Andre Blake, Jack de Vries, Jack Elliott, Matt Freese, Raymon Gaddis, Kacper Przybylko, Sergio Santos, Cole Turner, Kai Wagner and Andrew Wooten

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10/29/19

Philadelphia Union one of four teams named in this report about Mezut Ozil coming to MLS

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9/5/19

A report from Mexico says that Marco Fabian is interested in hearing an offer to return to Liga MX to play for Chivas when his current deal with the Philadelphia Union runs out in December.

While the report notes that his contract ends in December, Sporting Director Ernst Tanner said the team held two one-year club options when the Mexico international was signed on a free transfer back in February.

Fabian returning to the club he made 153 appearances for from 2007-2015 makes a lot of sense for both teams. The highest paid player in Union history has underperformed this season, battling injuries and failing to produce the kind of consistency to justify his designated player salary. Clearing his $2.3 million salary could go a long way toward keeping Jamiro Monteiro when his loan ends at season’s end.

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Cory Burke’s 2019 season in MLS is officially over. The 27-year-old striker has been loaned to Portmore United in the National Premier League in Jamaica for the remainder of the 2019 MLS season. The head coach is Philadelphia Union original Shavar Thomas.

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The Philadelphia Union are one of 13 clubs named in this report of teams that have contacted Daniel Sturridge’s reps. The out-of-contract striker 50 goals in 119 appearances for Liverpool from 2013-2019.

While it would be a free transfer — and could be done outside of a transfer window — it seems unlikely the Union would meet the 29-year-old’s wage demands, particularly as they look to sign Jamiro Monteiro for next season.

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Veteran striker Alexander Meier was in training with the first team today. The 6-foot-5 target forward most recently played at St. Pauli and was a teammate of Union assistant coach Oka Nikolov, midfielder Marco Fabian and former Union star Tranquillo Barnetta during his long stint with Eintracht Frankfurt, where he had 119 goals in 336 appearances. Word has it he’s only in to train.

Photo by Matt Ralph

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For just the third time in team history, the Bethlehem Steel have a goalkeeper on their roster after acquiring West Chester native for an “undisclosed transfer fee” from Real Monarchs.

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Head coach Jim Curtin said on Wednesday that Jamaican international Cory Burke would likely not be returning to the Union this season because of visa issues. It appears as though one possible loan destination is in the Norwegian first division. This report mentions Vålerenga Fotball as a possible destination. Jamaican international Deshorn Brown, who is currently with the Tampa Bay Rowdies, played for the team in 2015-2016.

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Joe Bendik has been acquired from Columbus Crew for a second round pick in the 2020 SuperDraft and the Carlos Miguel Coronel loan has officially ended.

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Carlos Miguel Coronel’s time with the Union appears to be done. The question is who will take up that third goalkeeper spot? Tomas Romero is committed to play college soccer this fall for Georgetown but would be an in-house candidate for the job.

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RJ Allen to the Union is official. The team announced he will be under contract until the end of the 2019 season. He’ll provide cover at right back with Olivier Mbaizo out with injury. Head coach Jim Curtin said they discussed putting Alejandro Bedoya or Ilinsho there in a pinch but were impressed enough with Allen during his trial to sign him to a contract.

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New Jersey native R.J. Allen was in training with the Philadelphia Union today (June 25, 2019). The 29-year-old with 76 career appearances for NYCFC and Orlando City has been playing this summer with FC Motown in the National Premier Soccer League. He’s the older brother of former Bethlehem Steel FC forward Brandon Allen and was a draft pick out of Monmouth University by Chivas USA.

With Olivier Mbaizo out and expected to miss as many as eight weeks after getting surgery for a torn meniscus in his knee, Allen would make a lot of sense as a depth option for the Union.

Photo by Matt Ralph

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Paul Tenorio from The Athletic says Andrew Wooten is a done deal.

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U.S. International forward Andrew Wooten is heading to MLS, his now former German club SV Sandhausen tweeted out this morning. The Philadelphia Union would make sense as a destination (especially considering the international roster spot situation) but so far the only team that has been named in the reports online has been the Chicago Fire.

Update: Joe Tansey is reporting that the Union are indeed in on Wooten and that a deal could be announced as early as this afternoon.

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Head coach Jim Curtin was asked about the summer window by ProSoccerUSA Union beat writer Joe Tansey at a live recording of the Union Soccer Podcast he hosts with Sean Brace at Yards Brewing on June 18. This is how Curtin responded:

“Ernst has done an incredible job maximizing the roster, using every spot, bringing in players at the right positions at the right time. I’ll just hint at I think you’ll see that continue over the coming weeks. I think that there’s some good things coming in. There’s always things I can and can’t say and there’s timing and rules...I do think our roster is very strong right now and I believe in our roster right now and if we did not upgrade I still think we can be a team that gets into the playoffs and pushes to win that first game for sure I believe that 100 percent but at the same time every team right now is looking to upgrade. Some team that’s below the red line is going to make a run and in order for us to stay at the top I think you’ll see us be aggressive and smart in the coming weeks.”

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