Philadelphia Union extend defender Nathan Harriel’s contract

One of the longest tenured players on the Philadelphia Union roster is staying in Chester.

Nathan Harriel, 24, recently had his contract extended through the 2028-29 season with an option for 2029-30.

“Nate has established himself as an essential piece of our backline over the past five years,” Jon Scheer, Philadelphia Union Interim Sporting Director, said in a news release. “His versatility, competitiveness, and dedication have been vital to the team’s success, and his emergence as a leader both on and off the field has been significant. We look forward to his continued impact and the important role he will play in the years ahead.”

Harriel, an Oldsmar, Florida native, has been with the first team since 2021 and has made 148 appearances in all competitions while logging nearly 11,000 minutes, which is the most among players who have signed a homegrown contract with the team.

Among active players on the team, only Andre Blake, Alejandro Bedoya and Olivier Mbaizo have had a longer tenure than Harriel, who joined the Union’s academy from Chargers SC in his native Florida during his senior year of high school and made his debut with Philadelphia Union II during the 2019 USL Championship season.

Harriel has also represented the United States, appearing for the senior national team in three friendlies in 2025 after making four appearances with the U.S. Olympic team during the Paris Olympics in 2024.