Union homegrown Jack de Vries loaned to Venezia FC, will play for U19 team

After playing sparingly since signing a homegrown deal with the Philadelphia Union, Jack de Vries will get a chance to impress with Venezia FC in Italy over the next year.

The 19-year-old, who has Dutch and American citizenship, has played just four first team matches for the Union and has been out for much of 2021 with a concussion he suffered in preseason. Union head coach Jim Curtin said recently that the son of former Colorado Rapids player Raimo de Vries was cleared to play but he hasn’t been spotted in training as reports surfaced of his loan move to Venice.

Venezia FC’s announcement notes that he will be playing for their U19 team, which resembles former homegrown midfielder Zach Pfeffer’s loan to 1899 Hoffenheim in 2013 when he played for the German club’s U19 squad.

De Vries was born in Akron, Ohio, but spent time as a kid living in Belgium and playing for Anderlecht’s academy. He was living with his family in Virginia Beach, Va. when he was recruited to join the Union Academy in 2015.