Union re-sign Alejandro Bedoya for another year
The midfielder and longtime captain will turn 39 in April. As with the last two seasons, his contract will have a special status where he also has a role in the team’s front office.
Kai Wagner, Jakob Glesnes, Tai Baribo, and Mikael Uhre are gone from the Union in as big of an offseason overhaul as the team has ever had.
But the club has re-signed another veteran, Alejandro Bedoya, to the latest in a series of one-year deals. The midfielder and longtime captain will turn 39 in April, and this will be his 11th season in Chester.
As in the last two seasons, Bedoya’s contract will have special status, with a role in the team’s front office.
“Alejandro’s impact on our organization continues to be invaluable, both on and off the field,” Union manager Bradley Carnell said in a statement. “While he remains an important contributor as a player, his leadership and insights in his player development and front office roles are especially beneficial. His experience and deep understanding of our system make him a steady presence and trusted mentor for our younger players, while his work behind the scenes continues to strengthen our culture.”
Mikael Uhre’s departure official
Uhre’s departure as a free agent also became official Wednesday, a few hours after the Union announced Bedoya’s return. The striker signed with FC Midtjylland in his native Denmark, an opportunity that will allow him to play in the UEFA Europa League later this month.
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Coincidentally, the next team Midtjylland will face in Europe’s second-tier continental tournament is Norway’s SK Brann, from which the Union reportedly will soon sign centerback Sery Larsen.
Uhre departs the Union as their joint No. 3 all-time scorer, with 43 goals (and 28 assists) in 155 games. His last tally was the one that clinched the Supporters’ Shield in a 1-0 win over New York City FC on Oct. 5.
The player with whom Uhre is tied, his former strike partner Julián Carranza, recently signed with Mexico’s Necaxa. Carranza’s move from Chester to Dutch club Feyenoord in mid-2024 ended up being a flop, and Necaxa reportedly paid around $4 million to sign him.
Some portion of that will go to the Union as a sell-on fee, but the exact amount is unknown.
The Union will open their preseason next week in Chester, then head to Marbella, Spain, for a couple of weeks. They’ll return here for some time off, then go to Clearwater, Fla., for their annual stay down the road from the Phillies’ spring training complex.
They then will fly from Clearwater to Trinidad for their first game of the year, at Defence Force FC in the Concacaf Champions Cup on Feb. 18.
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