Philadelphia Union signs Jose Martinez to new contract

An impressive first season for the boys in blue has earned Jose “El Brujo” Martinez a new deal, the Philadelphia Union announced on Wednesday.

Under the terms of the new deal, the 26-year-old midfielder from Venezuela will be under contract with the club through 2022 with club options for 2023 and 2024.

“Jose’s passion and physicality gives us an extra edge every time he steps on the field,” Ernst Tanner, Union Sporting Director, said in a news release. “He has proven to be dominant in our midfield, vital in the transition on attack and we are looking forward to seeing his continued development and contributions.”

Martinez signed with the Union ahead of the 2020 season and made 14 regular-season appearances, starting all 14. He was initially referred to as a project by Tanner but after missing the season opener made a splash in the second game of the season at LAFC and became the every day starter when play resumed at MLS is Back.

International duty and testing positive for Covid-19 caused him to miss some games down the stretch and a knee injury limited his effectiveness in the Union’s playoff loss to New England but Wednesday’s announcement shows he is central to the team’s plans going forward.