PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia Union announced Thursday that 30-year-old goalkeeper Andre Blake has signed a contract extension that runs through 2024, with a club option for 2025.
In an official statement, Sporting Director Ernst Tanner said, in part, "Andre was the backbone of the best defense in MLS last season and has been a key piece of our club's success the past few seasons .... As the rest of the league recognized last year, we have the best keeper in North America, and he is continuously getting better. While his play speaks for itself on the field, his mentality and the leadership role he has taken in our young squad had been as equally important."
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Blake is the Union record holder for games played and started, minutes played, saves and clean sheets, according to the statement. He was Major League Soccer's goalkeeper of the year in 2016 and again last season, when the Union captured their first trophy, the Supporters' Shield. Blake is also a two-time All-Star.
This season, the Union are third in the Eastern Conference with 20 points, trailing Orlando City's 21 and New England's 24.