The Philadelphia Union announced that longtime captain Alejandro Bedoya will be returning to the club in 2025. The 37-year-old midfielder will play his 10th season with the club and will continue his off-the-field role as a Player Development and Front Office Specialist. His addition was not a guarantee, as the Union is moving towards a rebuild, but his addition will help the club immensely as they go through this transition.
Union brings back Bedoya for Pivotal 2025 Season
It’s unclear what the Philadelphia Union will look like in the 2025 season. They struggled mightily in 2024; Philly had a down year from the start, dealt with injuries to crucial players, lost key players in the summer transfer window, and missed the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. This prompted some change with Philly letting go of their coach, Jim Curtin, who served faithful for 11 seasons.
It looked like the longtime captain of Curtin’s squads was going to be gone too, as he was out of contract; however, Ernst Tanner and the Union front office made a move that will make Union fans rejoice: Alejandro Bedoya will be a part of this club moving through their rebuild. Tanner had this to say of Bedoya.
“Alejandro’s contributions as a player, leader, and front-office specialist proved invaluable last season. While he is still an important player on the field, his leadership and insights in his Player Development role are especially beneficial. His experience, combined with his passion and dedication to the Union, makes him an important mentor for our young players, while his business acumen is beneficial to the entire organization. We’re happy to welcome Alejandro back for another season.”
– Philadelphia Union Sporting Director Ernst Tanner.
Bedoya will likely not be a player who is called upon to take on the workhorse-midfielder role that he has been for the club over this past nine seasons. Instead, his expertise as a leader will be called upon. Especially when you look at the landscape of the club.
Philly went from a powerhouse in MLS to a mediocre side that fell short of every expectation in just two seasons. Bedoya was initially brought in almost a decade ago to help usher in an era of success for Philly, now he’s going to be asked to do that once again.
A bridge between the locker room and a new coach
Alejandro Bedoya is likely going to be the next name in the Union’s ring of honor. His tenacity on the field and ability to lead a gritty underdog should allow him to retire as a Union player when he’s ready to hang up his cleats. However, the arc of his tenure at Philly now takes on a new chapter.
Bedoya was initially brought in as a DP way back in 2016 when the Union was a perennial bottom dweller in the league. His role was to get this team to be a contender, and he did that along with head coach Jim Curtin. The curtain finally closed on his now former head coach, and Ale will likely now take on the role of bridge between the returning players and a new head coach.
Tensions between the players and the front office have been high over the past few seasons, and Bedoya’s presence has been one that helped calm any unpleasant situations. He’s a constant pro who helps mentor the younger players on the squad and helps set the level of play that the team needs to hit to be good. Alejandro can be that constant still for Philly as they move into a rebuilding year.
He’s done this already before, but that was mainly with his on-the-field contributions. Now, Bedoya will need to hope his quality as a leader can help a new coach, a young core of returning players, and likely new important additions gel as one.
Will this addition be one that helps a club with now lesser expectations punch above its weight yet again, or will clinging to the past upset a new manager looking to redefine this club? Only time will tell, but who can really be angry with a club deciding to bring back a legend?
