International spot acquired from SKC for $200k; Oravec loaned to Union II

The Philadelphia Union appear to be closing in on adding another player, announcing Wednesday the acquisition of an international roster spot from Sporting Kansas City in exchange for $200,000 in general allocation money.

The international spot gives the Union nine for the season and eight international players currently rostered.

Matej Oravec has been loaned to Union II though it’s not clear how that works since the Union’s second team is not currently competing in a league. Union II played Hartford Athletic to a 3-3 draw in Connecticut in a mid-day friendly on Wednesday but Oravec was training in Chester with the first team.

The international players currently on the first team roster include Cory Burke, Stuart Findlay, Jakob Glesnes, Jose Martinez, Jamiro Monteiro, Kacper Przybylko, Sergio Santos and Kai Wagner.

Sporting Director Ernst Tanner told fans in a town hall last week that they would be adding a player in a position of need so the open roster spot could be for that player. The Union has been thin in the forward spot with Ilsinho, Cory Burke and Jack de Vries out injured but an attacking midfielder would also make sense depending on where the team sees Anthony Fontana fitting in going forward.

The primary transfer window in MLS is open until June 1. The secondary window will be open July 7-August 5.

July 7 is also the deadline for players receiving green cards to no longer count as internationals for the 2021 season. Cory Burke, Kacper Przybylko, Sergio Santos, Kai Wagner and Jamiro Monteiro would all be potential candidates to receive green cards but the process has been slowed over the past year because of the global pandemic.