Philly Sports Jabronis
Reports From Philadelphia Union
CHESTER, Pa. (Dec. 20, 2017) – Philadelphia Union today announced the re-signing of defender Fabinho as well as midfielders Fabian Herbers and Ilsinho. All three are set to return to Philadelphia in 2018 after either being out of contract or option declined following the 2017 MLS campaign. Ilsinho will continue to occupy an international roster slot for Philadelphia.
“As we continue to build our 2018 roster, we are pleased to welcome back Fabinho, Fabian, and Ilsinho,” said Union Sporting Director Earnie Stewart. “Fabinho and Ilsinho provide excellent veteran quality, and Fabian is a young player with lots of potential. We did not want to lose any of them following last season, and we’re happy to reach agreements to have them return to Philadelphia.”
Since coming to MLS, Fabinho has played in 110 matches, which ranks sixth all-time in Philadelphia history. His 102 starts rank fifth all-time in Union history. Among players on the Union’s current roster, the Brazilian trails only Ray Gaddis for most all-time in matches played, matches started and minutes played.
Over his Union tenure, Fabinho has registered two goals and 15 assists. With two assists in the 2017 season, the leftback continued his streak of recording at least two assists in every one of his MLS seasons.
Herbers, 24, was originally selected by the Union in the First Round (sixth overall) in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft on January 14, 2016. He has appeared in 44 matches for Philadelphia in his career, recording four goals and nine assists over two seasons.
In his rookie campaign, Herbers logged over 1,290 minutes played, while earning seven assists. Herbers’ seven helpers were the most by a Philadelphia Union player during the 2016 season.
Meanwhile, Ilsinho has appeared in 52 matches for Philadelphia over two seasons, logging over 3,100 minutes. He has tallied eight goals and seven assists in his time with the Union, including two game-winning goals in 2017.
Before joining Philadelphia, the Brazilian plied his trade most notably for Ukranian giants Shakhtar Donetsk, winning multiple league championships. He also has recorded one cap for the Brazilian National Team, and was part of the Brazilian squad at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
The MLS offseason continues with Stage Two of the Re-Entry Draft, taking place tomorrow, Thursday, December 21 at 2 p.m. ET.
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CHESTER, Pa. (Dec. 21, 2017) – Philadelphia Union today announced the signing of forward Cory Burke. A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Burke joins the Union after playing two seasons with Bethlehem Steel FC, Philadelphia’s USL affiliate, where he ranked second on the club in goals last season, with nine. Burke is also a regular with the Jamaican National Team, registering 13 caps since his international debut on September 7, 2016. He will occupy an international roster slot for Philadelphia.
“We are pleased to sign Cory to our First Team and reward his excellent performance with Bethlehem Steel FC,” said Union Sporting Director Earnie Stewart. “Cory’s success is a testament to the importance of Bethlehem in developing players within our organization. Under Brendan Burke and his staff, Cory has been playing in our system for two years now. We anticipate a successful transition to the Union, and we are looking forward to see Cory take the next step in his career.”
Burke joined Steel FC ahead of their inaugural season in 2016 on a year-long loan from Jamaican side Rivoli United, where he plied his trade from 2013-2016, scoring 25 goals in 75 games. He scored four times in 21 years during Bethlehem’s debut campaign, and joined the team on a permanent deal ahead of the 2017 season, where he went on to score nine times, ranking second on the club.
Internationally, Burke has played alongside Union goalkeeper Andre Blake with the Jamaican National Team, earning 13 caps over the past 16 months, scoring twice. He made his debut in a World Cup qualifier against Haiti on September 7, 2016. He scored his first international goal just over a month later, tallying against Guyana in Caribbean Cup Qualification on October 12, 2016. He made five appearances in the 2017 Gold Cup, in which Jamaica finished as runners-up.
The MLS offseason continues with Stage Two of the Re-Entry Draft, taking place later today, Thursday, December 21 at 2 p.m. ET.
