Philadelphia Union announced Thursday that the club has reached an agreement on a new contract with midfielder Jose Martinez.
Under the new contract, the Venezuelan international is guaranteed through 2025 with an option for 2026. Martinez first signed with the club in 2020 and had a memorable first appearance against LAFC where he quickly became a fan favorite.
“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,” said Philadelphia Union Sporting Director, Ernst Tanner. “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.”
Martinez, 28, has made 78 regular season appearances (75 starts) for the Philadelphia Union since joining the club in 2020, registering 10 assists in that time, including a crucial one in the team's 2-0 victory against New England in their regular season finale that secured the 2020 Supporters' Shield. Martinez's defensive abilities helped the team set a new MLS record for the fewest goals allowed in a single season in 2022 and played a pivotal role in the Union's journey to their first-ever MLS Cup final in club history. With a 52.9% duel percentage this season, Martinez has the third most duels on the team with 104. Since the start of the 2022 season, Jose has had the most recoveries per game among all midfielders in the league and averaging 9.6 per game he has surpassed all MLS midfielders who have played a minimum of 900 minutes.
Internationally, Martinez has earned 22 appearances for the Venezuelan National Team, registering three assists in that time. He made his debut in a World Cup qualification match against Bolivia on June 3, 2021, coming on as a substitute.
TRANSACTION: Philadelphia Union sign midfielder Jose Martinez to a new contract through 2025 with an option year for 2026 on June 1, 2023.
