Breaking News: Philadelphia Union Call Up 17-Year-Old Midfielder for Match Against New England Midfielder for Match Against New England

The Philadelphia Union announced today the call-up of Union II midfielder CJ Olney. The 17-year-old Union Academy product, previously signed to short-term agreements for matches against FC Cincinnati, Charlotte FC, CF Montreal, Chicago Fire FC, and as an Olympic Call-Up Replacement against Toronto FC, will be available for tonight’s match against New England.

Olney made his MLS debut on June 22, 2024, coming on as a substitute against Charlotte FC. Due to the release of players for the 2024 Summer Olympics, the league and MLSPA have agreed to allow an exception to the limitations on short-term agreements.

According to the 2024 MLS Roster Rules and Regulations, a club may sign a player, age 25 or younger, from its affiliate (MLS NEXT Pro) to a maximum of four Short-Term Agreements each season. However, with players unavailable from July 9 to August 9 due to Olympic national team call-ups, the league and MLSPA have agreed to allow an exception for clubs affected by these absences. During this period, clubs may sign one player to a Short-Term SPA to replace each unavailable player. These replacements will not count toward the CBA limitation on the number of Short-Term SPAs a player may sign, nor the limitation on players being added to rosters and appearing in matches.

Transaction: Philadelphia Union sign midfielder CJ Olney to a short-term agreement on July 17, 2024.

Player Profile:

– Name: CJ Olney
– Position: Midfielder
– Height: 5’9”
– Weight: 153 lbs
– Born: December 16, 2006
– Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois
– Hometown: Hillsborough, New Jersey
– Citizenship: United States

Olney’s addition provides depth to the Union’s squad as they navigate through the Olympic period, aiming to maintain their competitive edge in the league.