Chester – With the offseason now underway for the Philadelphia Union after getting eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs last Sunday, the club announced its roster decisions for the upcoming 2026 season this past Wednesday.
While many of the decisions were expected, in my opinion, there were a few notable ones worth highlighting in today’s article as we look at them in greater depth.
New Contracts and Options Exercised
On Tuesday, the Philadelphia Union and midfielder Indiana Vassilev agreed on a new contract, keeping the 24-year-old in Philadelphia through 2028 with an option for 2029.
In 38 appearances in all competitions this season, Vassilev tallied seven goals and contributed six assists over 2,380 minutes, setting a career high in goals during the 2025 season.
“Indiana was able to join the team and make an immediate and important impact this year,” said Philadelphia Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell, per the club’s announcement. “His work rate, aggressiveness and versatility have made him a key contributor in the midfield and an essential piece to the team’s success this season. Beyond his performance on the pitch, Indiana’s team-first mindset off the field greatly strengthened the culture in the locker room.”
Given their history together during their time at St. Louis CITY, the extension should not catch anyone off guard. Carnell has frequently praised the Savannah, Georgia native for his work rate and his contributions on both sides of the ball throughout the season.
The Union also exercised the contract option for center back Olwethu Makhanya on Wednesday, securing him through the 2026 and 2027 MLS seasons.
“Olwethu had a standout year in his first full MLS season. Proving himself to be an important piece of our backline, he has demonstrated maturity, consistency, and leadership at just 21 years old,” said Philadelphia Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell, per the club’s release. “His rapid development is a clear indication of how high his ceiling can be, and we believe he will continue to develop and make a significant impact going forward with the club.”
After spending all of last year with Union II, Makhanya started the first match of the 2025 MLS season at Orlando City and never looked back. Playing 2,806 minutes across 36 competitions and contributing two goals in all competitions, the South African showed why Philadelphia paid the fee they did for the U-22 signing. He and Jakob Glesnes proved to be a formidable pair at times during the season.
Philadelphia also exercised the options on forward Tai Baribo and defender Nathan Harriel on Wednesday, keeping both under contract through the 2026 season.
Baribo led the Union in goals with 19 in 2025 while contributing four assists over 34 appearances in all competitions, so having your leading scorer back should not come as a surprise.
Harriel—whom Bradley Carnell, like former Union boss Jim Curtin, used effectively due to his athleticism—played multiple positions this season. He provided a critical defensive presence when on the pitch and chipped in two goals over 32 appearances.
Options Declined
The roster decisions also saw Philadelphia decline the options of the following players: forward Chris Donovan, midfielder Nick Pariano, left back Isaiah LeFlore, and goalkeeper Oliver Semmle.
For the Paoli native and Drexel graduate, Donovan scored 28 goals over four seasons between the first team and Union II (21 with Union II). This year marked his first scoreless season in Philadelphia. While the 25-year-old still has time left in his professional career, perhaps a change of scenery will prove beneficial.
For Semmle, after a promising start to last season, the German keeper struggled at times and was relegated to Union II. He could never quite find his footing in MLS despite occasional flashes of promise.
In August, Semmle was loaned to USL Championship side North Carolina FC in hopes of rediscovering the magic he had with Louisville City in 2023, where he tied the league lead in clean sheets with 12. In 13 appearances in 2025 with North Carolina, Semmle led the club with five clean sheets. With North Carolina now suspending operations ahead of the 2026 USL Championship season, Semmle is a free agent searching for his next home.
Both Nick Pariano and Isaiah LeFlore never featured for the first team in MLS play during their time with the Union. LeFlore suffered an ACL injury in 2024 and was out the entire season. However, during the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro season, LeFlore started slowly but showed promise with Union II, contributing one goal and three assists before being loaned to USL Championship side Detroit City FC, where the left back scored once in nine appearances. As the loan with Detroit ended and the option was declined with the Union, he is currently a free agent.
As for Pariano, he had an up-and-down time in Philadelphia. He captained Union II respectably and trained with the first team, yet could never break through. While he showed promise—and many who follow the second team hoped he would get a chance—that opportunity ultimately never came.
2026 Roster to Date
After all the decisions to date, the Union announced their roster ahead of the 2026 season, per the communications department.
Goalkeepers (2): Andre Blake, Andrew Rick
Defenders (7): Jakob Glesnes, Nathan Harriel, Olwethu Makhanya, Olivier Mbaizo, Neil Pierre, Kai Wagner, Frankie Westfield
Midfielders (9): Jesus Bueno, Danley Jean-Jacques, Jovan Lukic, CJ Olney, Jeremy Rafanello, Cavan Sullivan, Quinn Sullivan, Indiana Vassilev, David Vazquez
Forwards (6): Markus Anderson, Tai Baribo, Bruno Damiani, Eddy Davis III, Milan Iloski, Sal Olivas
While Mikael Uhre, Ben Bender, George Marks, and Alejandro Bedoya remain in negotiations—and former Union homegrown David Vazquez is on loan with San Diego FC, who have until November 30 to make the move permanent—there are still decisions to be made heading into the winter months. Also expect to hear roster decisions for Union II in the near future.
Make sure to keep following The One Team We Agree On for the most up-to-date Union and Union II news throughout the off-season.
Main article photo credit: Philadelphia Union
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