Union sign backup midfielder Jeremy Rafanello to new contract

The Delran native doesn't play much, but the team likes his work ethic and wanted to reward him with a new deal.

Jeremy Rafanello (left), playing against Kansas City earlier this season, signed a contract extension on Wednesday.Read morePhiladelphia Union

Published Oct. 16, 2024, 11:20 a.m. ET

The Union announced Wednesday that they signed backup attacking midfielder Jeremy Rafanello to a new contract, guaranteed through 2026 with options for 2027 and ’28.

Rafanello, a 24-year-old Delran native, had been in his last guaranteed year, with an option for next year. He doesn’t play much, with just 317 minutes over 13 games this season, and most of the minutes came in games when the Union were shorthanded while players were with national teams.

But that’s still much more than the 30 minutes in two first-team games he logged last season, and the team likes his work ethic. Manager Jim Curtin has said often this year that Rafanello deserves more playing time than he gets.

“In his two seasons with the Union, Jeremy has remained dedicated to his growth and development as a player,” Union sporting director Ernst Tanner said in a statement. “He has stepped up in pivotal matches and remains ready when called upon. His increased minutes on field this season are a testament to his work ethic, and we are happy to be able to reward him with a new contract.”

How much time Rafanello will get next year is an open question. It would require taking Dániel Gazdag off the field more than Curtin usually does, and Cavan Sullivan has a more creative skill set and a higher ceiling. But what’s certain is that for whatever roster overhaul is coming this winter, Rafanello will be staying in Chester.

The Union play their regular-season finale Saturday in Chester against FC Cincinnati (6 p.m., Apple TV). They are three points out of the last playoff spot and must win and hope that D.C. United or CF Montréal lose their respective games at the same time.