Philadelphia Union announced Friday that the team has loaned defender Carlos Valdes to Nacional of the Uruguayan Primera Division for the entirety of the 2015 MLS regular season. Valdes, 29, originally joined the Union in 2011 and has played in 73 career games for club. Per club and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“We wish Carlos the best of luck and look forward to him representing the club well during his time with Nacional,” Union Technical Director Chris Albright said in a statement. “The loan makes financial sense for both our club and Carlos, and gives us the ability to continue to shape our roster as we prepare for the season.”
Valdes made his Union debut on March 19, 2011 against Houston. He was an immediate factor for the club, helping the team reach the playoffs for the first time while starting 32 regular season games and both postseason matches. During 2011, he helped anchor a backline that allowed an MLS-best 3.05 shots on goal.
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The following year, Valdes started 33 games and became team captain on May 17. He then scored his first goal at PPL Park on July 14 against the Montreal Impact. His play earned him a call-up to the Colombian national team for two World Cup Qualifiers and was named to the MLS All-Star Team.
In January 2013, Valdes was loaned to Independiente Santa Fe in his native Colombia. He spent the entire season playing for Santa Fe and stayed with the club heading into the 2014 season.
Last summer, Valdes was named to the Colombian National Team for the 2014 World Cup. While in Brazil, Valdes made one start – in a 4-1 win over Japan – and helped lead the team to its first quarterfinal appearance in history. After the World Cup, he was called back from loan and made his season debut with the Union on Aug. 9.
