2021 Philadelphia Union season

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OwnerKeystone Sports & Entertainment
Head coachJim Curtin
StadiumSubaru Park (Capacity: 18,500)
MLSConference: 2nd
Overall: 6th
Philadelphia Union
2021 season
OwnerKeystone Sports & Entertainment
Head coachJim Curtin
StadiumSubaru Park (Capacity: 18,500)
MLSConference: 2nd
Overall: 6th
MLS Cup PlayoffsConference Finals
U.S. Open CupCancelled
CONCACAF Champions LeagueSemi-finals
Top goalscorerLeague:
Kacper Przybyłko (12)
All:
Kacper Przybyłko (17)
Highest home attendance16,827
(July 17 vs. DC United)
Lowest home attendance4,625
(April 14 vs. Saprissa)
Average home league attendance12,239
Biggest win4–0
(April 14 vs. Saprissa)
Biggest defeat0–2
(May 1 vs. New York City FC)
1–3
(August 28 vs. DC United)
← 2020
2022 →

The 2021 Philadelphia Union season was the club's twelfth season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of American soccer. The team is managed by Jim Curtin, his eighth season with the club. The club's regular season began on April 7, 2021, with the CONCACAF Champions League, and then on April 17, 2021, with MLS play, and ended on November 7, 2021, a month-delayed start due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Outside of MLS, the Union, by winning the 2020 Supporters' Shield, is competing in their first ever CONCACAF Champions League.[1]

The 2021 preseason saw turnover in the coaching positions as assistant coach Oka Nikolov departed and replaced by Frank Leicht.[2]

The transfer window was the Union's most lucrative to date selling two MLS Best XI players. Brenden Aaronson was officially transferred to Red Bull Salzburg in the Austrian Bundesliga for a reported fee of $6 million, with a potential $3 million more in performance bonuses; the highest ever transfer fee for a U.S.-based homegrown player.[3][4] In January, Mark McKenzie was transferred to K.R.C. Genk for a reported fee of $6 million, plus additional performance-based bonuses.[5]

Prior to the start of the season, long-time defender, Raymon Gaddis, announced his retirement from professional soccer. The full-back spent his entire professional career with the Union, holding record in games played (221) and minutes played (18,702).[6]

The Union traded away or passed on all picks for the 2021 MLS SuperDraft, being the third consecutive season doing so.[7] Supplementing young players via the Union's academy, five academy players were signed to the senior team: defender Nathan Harriel, midfielder Jack McGlynn, midfielder Paxten Aaronson, defender Brandan Craig, and midfielder/forward Quinn Sullivan.[8][9][10][11]

Rounding out the first team acquisitions included centerback, Stuart Findlay, from Kilmarnock FC and midfielder, Leon Flach, from FC St. Pauli.[12]

2021 roster

As of September 25, 2021[13]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK  USA Matt Freese (HGP)
2 DF  USA Matthew Real (HGP)
3 DF  ENG Jack Elliott
4 DF  SCO Stuart Findlay
5 DF  NOR Jakob Glesnes
6 MF  HUN Daniel Gazdag
7 FW  BRA Matheus Davó (on loan from Corinthians)
8 MF  VEN José Martínez
10 MF  CPV Jamiro Monteiro (DP)
11 MF  USA Alejandro Bedoya (Captain)
12 GK  USA Joe Bendik
13 MF  USA Cole Turner (HGP)
15 DF  CMR Olivier Mbaizo
16 MF  USA Jack McGlynn (HGP)
17 FW  BRA Sergio Santos
No. Pos. Nation Player
18 GK  JAM Andre Blake (GA)
19 FW  JAM Cory Burke
20 MF  VEN Jesús Bueno
21 MF  USA Anthony Fontana (HGP)
23 FW  POL Kacper Przybyłko
25 MF  BRA Ilsinho
26 DF  USA Nathan Harriel (HGP)
27 DF  GER Kai Wagner
29 DF  JAM Alvas Powell
30 MF  USA Paxten Aaronson (HGP)
31 MF  USA Leon Flach
33 MF  USA Quinn Sullivan (HGP)
34 MF  USA Brandan Craig (HGP)
78 DF  FRA Aurelien Collin

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
14 MF  USA Jack de Vries (on loan with Venezia F.C.)
24 MF  SVK Matej Oravec (on loan with FK Železiarne Podbrezová)

Transfers

In

Date No. Pos. Player Transferred from Fee/notes Source
January 1, 202126DFUnited States Nathan HarrielUnited States Philadelphia Union IIHomegrown signing[8]
16MFUnited States Jack McGlynnUnited States Philadelphia Union IIHomegrown signing[9]
30MFUnited States Paxten AaronsonUnited States Philadelphia Union IIHomegrown signing[10]
34MFUnited States Brandan CraigUnited States Philadelphia Union IIHomegrown signing[11]
33MFUnited States Quinn SullivanUnited States Philadelphia Union IIHomegrown signing[11]
February 25, 20214DFScotland Stuart FindlayScotland KilmarnockUndisclosed fee[14]
March 31, 202131MFUnited States Leon FlachGermany St. PauliUndisclosed fee[15]
April 2, 202122GKTrinidad and Tobago Greg RanjitsinghUnited States Minnesota United FCFree Transfer[16]
May 11, 20216MFHungary Daniel GazdagHungary Budapest Honvéd FCUndisclosed fee[17]
June 10, 202129DFJamaica Alvas PowellSudan Al-Hilal ClubFree agent[18]
July 29, 202120MFVenezuela Jesús BuenoVenezuela Deportivo LaraUndisclosed fee[19]

Out

Date No. Pos. Player Transferred to Fee/notes Source
December 2, 20202MFGuyana Warren CreavalleDeclined Contract Option[20]
7FWUnited States Andrew WootenAustria AdmiraDeclined Contract Option[20]
20FWDemocratic Republic of the Congo Michee NgalinaUnited States Colorado Springs SwitchbacksDeclined Contract Option[20]
January 1, 202122MFUnited States Brenden AaronsonAustria Red Bull Salzburg$6,000,000 - $9,000,000[21]
January 7, 20214DFUnited States Mark McKenzieBelgium Genk$6,000,000[22]
March 4, 202128DFUnited States Ray GaddisPlayer Retirement[23]
August 202122GKTrinidad and Tobago Greg RanjitsinghUnited States MLS PoolReleased[24]

Loan In

Date No. Pos. Player Loaned from Fee/notes Source
August 11, 20217FWBrazil Matheus DavóBrazil CorinthiansLoan with option to purchase[25]

Loan Out

Date No. Pos. Player Transferred to Fee/notes Source
April 21, 202124MFSlovakia Matej OravecUnited States Philadelphia Union IILoaned Out[26]
July 13, 2021Slovakia FK Železiarne PodbrezováLoaned Out[27]
August 31, 202114MFUnited States Jack de VriesItaly Venezia F.C.Loaned Out[28]

Competitions

Statistics

References

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