Veteran goalkeeper Joe Bendik re-signed to one-year contract with Philadelphia Union

Veteran goalkeeper Joe Bendik will be returning for the 2021 season, the Philadelphia Union announced Friday.

The Union signed the 31-year-old to a one-year deal.

“We are excited to welcome back Joe for the 2021 season,” Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner said in a news release. “He works extremely hard on the field, and off the field he takes the time to mentor and work with his younger teammates. He has more than eight years of professional experience in this league and his veteran presence has proven helpful not only to our other goalkeepers, but to the team success as a whole.”

Bendik played just 91 minutes last season in two appearances. He came in for the injured Andre Blake on October 28 and started the match in Columbus a few days later.

This season will be the Georgia native’s 10th in MLS and with the possibility of Andre Blake and Matt Freese both being away for international duty, there’s a good chance he’ll be called upon more than in his first two seasons with the club. He didn’t feature after being acquired from the Columbus Crew in July 2019.