Curtin: Julian Carranza unavailable for Inter Miami match

It appears the Philadelphia Union will be without one of their most consistent attacking players this season when Inter Miami comes to town on Wednesday night.

Head coach Jim Curtin said after the New York Red Bulls draw Saturday night that Carranza will not get a chance to face the team that loaned him for the season.

“No, as of right now no we will not have him available for Wednesday,” Curtin said.

Intraleague loans like the one that sent Carranza to Chester for the season — in exchange for a second round MLS SuperDraft pick — carry a stipulation that the player not play in games against the team that owns his contract.

As stated in the roster rules for 2022: “The player may not compete against his former club during the MLS Season while on loan (includes MLS League Season games and all other competitions).”

Curtin’s response when the question came up leaves open the possibility that he could play but it doesn’t look likely given the rule.

If the Union could exercise the option to buy now instead of at season’s end they might be willing to do that just to get him off Miami’s books ahead of an important home match before heading back out on a West Coast trip to Portland.

Carranza is second on the team in goals with four and tied for second in assists with three. He scored three total goals in his first two seasons with Miami.