Philadelphia Union signs Jose Martinez to contract extension

El Brujo isn’t going anywhere.

On Thursday the Philadelphia Union announced that the club reached an agreement on a contract extension with defensive midfielder Jose Martinez.

“Jose has continuously demonstrated his importance to this team, with his passion and performance proving vital to the team’s success over the past few seasons,” stated Philadelphia Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner in a press release.

Under his new contract, Martinez is locked up until the 2025 season with an option for 2026.

The 28-year-old has been a key cog in the Union’s midfield since joining the club in 2020. The Venezuelan international quickly gained a reputation as one of the best defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer, and became quite notable for his intense fire and passion on the pitch.

Martinez has made 78 regular season appearances for Philadelphia, with 75 starts to his name. His defensive work aided the Union in setting a new MLS record for the fewest goals allowed in a single season in 2022. Since the start of the 2022 season, Jose has had the most recoveries per game among all midfielders in the league.

Martinez plays a key role as the cleanup man ahead of the Union’s back line, giving fullbacks Kai Wagner and Olivier Mbaizo the freedom to advance forward in attack. Jose has steadily improved his game on the offensive side of the ball, totaling 10 assists for the Union.

“He’s dominant in the midfield and an important piece in our transition on attack. We’re happy to have reached an agreement to extend his stay in Philadelphia,” Tanner stated.

For a team that looks to catch teams on the counter with sharp, decisive passes, coach Jim Curtin puts a lot of trust in Martinez’ abilities to facilitate offense during those transitions. Jose has become much more than just a ball-winning defensive midfielder, acting as the true backbone of the Union’s midfield.