TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Loan
The Philadelphia Union have loaned midfielder Matej Oravec to Slovakian second tier side Železiarne Podbrezová until next summer, the club announced Tuesday.
Oravec, 23, has yet to make his MLS debut with the Union. The former Slovakian youth international was acquired ahead of the 2020 season and was expected to provide competition for minutes at both defensive midfield and center back. He never quite found his footing in Philadelphia during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, making the bench for about half the games but never debuting.
This year, he was loaned to Union 2, the club's second team, to free up an international spot for the first team.
The Union signed Oravec from Slovakian club DAC Dunajska Streda, but had previously played for Podbrezova and made 14 appearances with the team. The club were relegated from the Slovakian top division after the 2018-19 season and finished fourth in the second tier last year as they aim to return to the top flight again.
With Leon Flach and Jack Elliott both proving capable at defensive mid when Jose Martinez is unavailable, Philadelphia have plenty of cover at the position.
