Philadelphia Union Sign Homegrown Midfielder Jeremy Rafanello to Contract Extension Through 2026
Rafanello’s new deal includes club options for 2027 and 2028, as the Union look to build on his growth and versatility in midfield.
Chester, Pa. — The Philadelphia Union announced today that they have signed homegrown midfielder Jeremy Rafanello to a contract extension through 2026, with club options for 2027 and 2028.
Rafanello, 24, was originally signed through the 2024 season with a club option for 2025. His previous contract saw him earning $107,636 during the 2024 season.
The midfielder made his first-team debut last September in a 4-1 Union victory over the New York Red Bulls, playing 13 minutes. This season, Rafanello set career highs in games played (10), starts (four), minutes (325), and shots (6). His standout performance came on March 23rd, when he played the full 90 minutes in a 3-1 away win over the Portland Timbers. The Union were missing nine players due to international duty and injuries. Rafanello finished the game with 35 touches, 16/23 passes completed, seven ball recoveries, three shots, and one chance created.
“In his two seasons with the Union, Jeremy has remained dedicated to his growth and development as a player,” said Philadelphia Union Sporting Director, Ernst Tanner. “He has stepped up in pivotal matches and remains ready when called upon. His increased minutes on field this season are a testament to his work ethic, and we are happy to be able to reward him with a new contract.”
With this new deal, the Union now have 20 players signed through 2025, including four attacking midfielders: Dániel Gazdag, Cavan Sullivan, David Vazquez, and Jeremy Rafanello. Gazdag has been a key figure this season, appearing in 29 of 33 games and starting 27 of them for a total of 2,487 minutes. In 23 of those starts, Gazdag played the full 90 minutes. As a result, game time has been limited for Sullivan, Rafanello, and Vazquez. Head coach Jim Curtin acknowledged the difficulty of justifying minutes for these players during a pre-game press conference two weeks ago before facing the Columbus Crew.
“I would say that this year, because—and it’s self-inflicted, like I've said 100 times—we are where we are in the table, you're not able to try things,” Curtin said. “You’re not able to get Cavan (Sullivan) or (Jeremy) Rafanello, or guys that have earned more minutes, into more opportunities because we've set ourselves up where the margins aren't there for that. And that's unfair to those guys because they've done well in training and worked really hard.”
Looking ahead, Rafanello's versatility and work ethic could lead to more opportunities next season, especially with midfielders Leon Flach and Alejandro Bedoya both out of contract.
Video Credit: Philadelphia Union
Good news.