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Breaking: Union acquire Orlando City midfielder Andrés Perea

In their first acquisition of the 22/23 MLS offseason, the Philadelphia Union have acquired midfielder Andrés Perea from Orlando City SC.

Orlando receives $450,000 in 2023 General Allocation Money as well as $300,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money, as well as a conditional $100,000 in allocation money as well as a sell-on percentage if undisclosed conditions are met. In return the Union get a three year contract for the young midfielder, along with a team option to extend in 2026.

Born in Tampa, Perea played for Atlético Nacional in Medellín, Colombia (where his father Nixon Perea is the U20 Coach) before getting loaned to Orlando City in 2020. The central Florida club exercised their option to buy, and Perea appeared eighty six times for the Lions in three seasons.

Internationally Perea represented Colombia at the U17 and U20 level before filing for a one-time switch in 2021. He made one appearance with the full USMNT, but has also represented the Yanks at the U23 level since his switch.

According to Philadelphia Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner “Andrés is a versatile player who can play multiple positions in our system. We believe he is ready to take the next step in his development and will challenge for a significant role as he learns our style of play and integrates into the team.”

Full press release is available here.

22 Comments

  1. vagabond ben says:

    Brujo replacement/depth or eventual Bedoya replacement?

    • Chris Gibbons says:

      Yes. Can play the 6 or the 8, from what I’ve heard.

    • While I am sure that he part of the plan if any of those players leave, it is interesting how people automatically go to someone leaving when we bring someone in.

      In reality, great teams need good players on the bench. No one could leave this offseason and this would still be a great signing because it puts a proven, pretty solid, MLS player on our bench.

    • THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM….Wagner is leaving. Who is going to provide his 15 assists? Not This guy, not Real. Not Flach. Need to replace him with someone just as good that is going to be nearly impossible . Or sell Martinez and move Flach to his spot and aquire a left mid with Wagners ” offensive skill set” and hope Real can handle the defensive responsibilities. Tanner must do this or we drop from the top. Can’t expect Gazdag to score 15 and provide 15 assists Uhre is too forward in the scheme to do what. Wagner provided to the offense.Ok Ernst pay Wagner 2 million or find a much better left diamond/ mid who can pass well cross exceptionally, execute great direct kicks from the left side and has great vision.

  2. This move (along with Jim’s end of season remarks) makes it clear that the Quinn Sullivan as a midfielder ship has sailed. He’ll make it as a striker or not at all.

    • they always talked about him as more of a 10 than an 8 he was just 3rd in line there. I honestly took the comments as saying they see him as a gazdag backup cause they described him as a hard running attacking midfielder who’s a goal scoring threat and likes being in the box, which is pretty much exactly how I’d describe daniel

    • I encourage all of us to listen to the end-of-season press conference with Tanner and Curtin.
      .
      Curtin commented on Sullivan as possibly an attacking mid. He doesn’t have twinkle toes, but he has the necessary aggressiveness and determination towards goal.

  3. I thought the name sounded familiar:

    From Orlando web site… “The 21-year-old midfielder appeared 86 times since 2020, 37 of which were starts, providing three assists and scoring four goals for City across all competitions………..

    … including the game-winner against the Philadelphia Union in the Lions’ Round of 32 victory in Open Cup play”!

  4. This is a pretty big chunk of change for Philly to spend, nearly a million dollars in all. I like the move, and it really shows Tanner’s flexibility.

  5. Section 114 (Former) says:

    I love it if we think of it as a straight up trade for Pax10, pocketing $3 million dollars. He fits better into our midfield for 23 and 24. Readier to play at a position of greater need. And not an international spot.

  6. Looks like Perea does a nice job transitioning from defense to offense with a quick pass.
    Brujo tends to do that more with a dribble.
    Perea might really improve the speed at which we can counter.

  7. Two points.
    .
    One, Tanner likes to accumulate defensive mids who are two-way players it looks like, and they can transition to the shuttling midfielders in the right or left channels fairly easily. Jesus Bueno did very nicely as such for Union II last season, at one point he was U II’s leading scorer with 6 goals.
    .
    Two, in the presser I referenced above, one or both of them referred to the possibility of greater tactical flexibility in 2023. The comment was made in the context of getting Brandan Craig minutes, I think I remember. A 3-4-1-2 keeps the attacking success of the second half of 2022 intact and relieves Bedoya from playing by moving Mbaizo into that outside channel. Flach fits nicely into the left outside channel, albeit without Wagner’s ability to play crosses as effectively.

    • REALLY like the idea of Flach and Mbaizo as wingbacks. Fits their strengths and weaknesses and solves potential loss of Wagner.

      • Defensively, Flach covers the loss of Wagner well, but it’s a huge step down offensively.

        Though there’s the hope with Uhre in his second year and Perera replacing Flach as a shuttler, we can get that offense from elsewhere on the pitch.

      • Weird how Wagner, Mbiazo NOT signed by anyone yet.

        Could it be their agents WISH they were?

      • Not convinced there is all that much interest in Olivier. As for Kai – ET is probably holding out for the right price.

  8. Congrats to Herr Tanner.
    Well deserved, very impressive.
    Happy Holidays to all.

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