Roster News

Union pick up options on nine players, roster now at 20 players

Photo: Earl Gardner

Philadelphia Union announced on Friday the team has picked up the options on nine players.

Those players are goalkeepers Andre Blake and John McCarthy, defenders Fabinho, Ray Gaddis, Keegan Rosenberry, and Ken Tribbett, and midfielders Eric Ayuk, Brian Carroll, and Chris Pontius.

The club also confirmed remarks by sporting director Earnie Stewart in a press conference with Jim Curtin on Wednesday that it has declined the contract options of goalkeeper Matt Jones, defenders Anderson and Taylor Washington, and midfielders Cole Missimo and Walter Restrepo. All of those players are eligible for the MLS Waiver Draft, which will take place on Thursday, Dec. 15 at 2 pm.

Further echoing Stewart’s remarks on Wednesday, the announcement says Leo Fernandes and Charlie Davies are currently out of contract and the Union are “in discussions with both players.”

As was previously announced, midfielder Tranquillo Barnetta is returning to Switzerland to join his hometown club, St. Gallen. September acquisition, German midfielder Kevin Kratz, is joining MLS expansion Atlanta United, his time with the Union being described by Stewart on Wednesday as a loan.

The announcement notes, “11 other contracts were already guaranteed for next season, giving the club a roster that currently features 20 players under contract for the 2017 campaign.”

Contract details for both the nine players whose options were picked up and the eleven already under contract were not mentioned in the announcement.

Keeping in mind that the 11 players already under contract were not named, nor has the roster on the club website been updated as of this writing, the 20-player roster now presumably looks like this:

Goalkeepers (2): Andre Blake (International), John McCarthy

Defenders (7): Fabinho, Ray Gaddis, Richie Marquez, Keegan Rosenberry, Ken Tribett, Auston Trusty (Homegrown Player), Josh Yaro (International, Generation adidas)

Midfielders (8): Roland Alberg (international), Eric Ayuk (International), Alejandro Bedoya (Designated Player), Brian Carroll, Warren Creavalle, Maurice Edu (Designated Player), Ilsinho (International), Derrick Jones (Homegrown Player)

Midfielder/Foward (2): Fabian Herbers (International, Generation adidas), Chris Pontius

Forwards (1): CJ Sapong

2 Comments

  1. I wonder if any of the younger players who had their options declined are going to be signed to Steel contracts

  2. man, we did not have a deep roster this season

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