The Union are not done acquiring new players yet! They acquired Midfielder Jamiro Monteiro from French club FC Metz. The deal is a four month loan with options to make it a full season loan, or buy.
Union add a box-to-box midfielder:
Jamiro Monteiro was praised by Sporting Director Ernst Tanner. Tanner said in the press release:
“We have had our eye on Jamiro for some time and we are pleased to complete this deal to bring him to Philadelphia. He is a relentless box-to-box midfielder who we believe fits well into our tactical parameters for a central midfielder. We look forward to integrating him into the squad as quickly as possible with the young season just underway.”
Monteiro’s work rate will add something lacking from the Union in central midfield. The starting day lineup of Fabian, Bedoya, Ilsinho and Medunjanin was one that lacked intensity. Adding Monterio for either Ilsinho or Medunjanin would give the Union that tenacious player they need in the center of the pitch.
A player who can play any position in a diamond midfield:
Jim Curtin had high praise for Jamiro. The Union head coach said of Monterio:
“Yeah, so depending on the formation he can obviously play on either side of the diamond. He’s played as an eight, he’s played as a 10, he’s played as a six, so he kind of, like I said checks a lot of the boxes of, pretty much, all four of the spots in the diamond. A guy we’ll utilize in a lot of ways, depending on the match-up, depending on the opponent.”
Monterio, seems to be the lynch-pin to the Union’s success in the midfield. His ability to make long tracking runs to stifle opponents, all the while thinking of how he can create defense into offense is something that the Union have lacked. If the midfield has Jamiro Monterio and Alejandro Bedoya as it’s shuttlers, the Union may just figure out their new formation.
All this being said, what can we expect from this new player?
What can we expect?
We can expect Jamiro Monteiro to be given the chance to make the Union Midfield click. No matter the role, he’ll be allowed to flourish in any of the midfield spots.
The most likely place for Jamiro is the left side of that midfield diamond. As a shuttler who plays with similar intensity to Alejandro Bedoya. Monteiro can also play at the base of the diamond should the Union want to move on from Haris Medunjanin playing there. The Union could do with some doggedness to help cover the center backs.
As the Union move forward, Jamiro will be a part of their plans; at least for the very near future.
Monteiro looks to be a player the Union need right now. It seems like he’ll be a part of the Union’s game day 18 by at most the end of the month. Here’s a look at how Jamiro plays!
Jamiro Monteiro Highlights:
Jamiro Monteiro video FC Metz 2018 from Prestige Sports on Vimeo.
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Matt McClain
Peace out Union fans!
Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Union
