In a move that has been rumored to happen for a little bit now, the Philadelphia Union has officially announced the signing of Jose Jamir Berdecio on loan from Club Deportivo Oriente Petrolero. The 21-year-old Bolivian defender will be on loan throughout the 2024 season, with a permanent transfer option at the end of the loan.
Who is the Philadelphia Union’s newest defender, Jose Jamir Berdecio?
Jose Jamir Berdecio is a 21-year-old Bolivian defender who originally played for Club Deportivo Oriente Petrolero. Berdecio has played for the club since 2021, appearing in 37 matches, with 29 of them being starts. The 21-year-old also was just named to the Bolivian U23 National Team roster for the first time in his career.
While Philly has him listed as a defender in their post welcoming him to the squad, Berdecio can play multiple positions. He is mainly a right-back, but can also play in midfield in multiple spots. He has played as a central defensive midfielder as well. We know how much Philly loves their utility knife players, so Berdecio fits in as a quintessential Ernst Tanner type of signing.
Ernst Tanner Speaks
On the signing, sporting director Ernst Tanner said: “Jamir is a young and very talented player. We’ve watched his play in both the Bolivian Primera División and Bolivia’s U23 National Team and were impressed with his potential. We look forward to seeing how he integrates into our system of play and contributing to his development.”
Berdecio fits the mold of the type of player that Ernst Tanner would sign for his Philly squad, as he is a young player with potential that not many individuals may have heard of. Berdecio will most likely spend the majority of his time playing with the Union II, but he could see some action with the first team if needed.
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