It was a theme throughout last year with the Union that they were short on centerback depth, especially after Ian Glavinovich went down early in the season.
They did remarkably well with what they had, thanks to Olwethu Makhanya’s impressive development and Nathan Harriel shifting over from his usual outside back spot.
But that was never intended as the long-term solution, especially with Concacaf Champions Cup and Leagues Cup games on this year’s schedule.
With Japhet Sery Larsen set as Jakob Glesnes’ replacement, the Union made that needed depth move on Tuesday, signing 23-year-old Colombian Geiner Martínez from Uruguayan club Juventud.
That should give the club three starting-caliber centerbacks, with Harriel and 19-year-old Finn Sundstrom as backups. The Union paid a transfer fee of just under $1 million for Martínez, a source with knowledge of the deal told The Inquirer.
The deal had been in the works for quite some time, with the first report emerging from South America nearly two months ago. Martínez’s contract is through the 2027-28 season, with team-held options for the two seasons after that. (Union fans should get used to seeing seasons labeled this way, as MLS heads toward its swap to a winter-centric schedule next year.)
Martínez will be added to the Union’s active roster after he receives his international transfer certificate and P1 visa. The Colombian centerback will occupy an international roster slot for the Union.
“Geiner is a young, strong player who brings intensity and a physical presence to our back line,” Union manager Bradley Carnell said in the team’s release.
“The experience he’s gained through earning promotion in two consecutive seasons is valuable. He is a competitor and dedicated to defending within our identity. We look forward to getting him integrated quickly with the team.”
The writing perhaps was on the wall earlier this week, courtesy of a cryptic message on X, where he was photographed with former Juventud teammate Ramiro Peralta, who wrote “Vamos hermano” and tagged Martínez in an Instagram story on Jan. 28.
On Tuesday, Peralta offered congratulations to Martínez via another Instagram story.
Martínez is the club’s second defensive international signing this offseason. After sending Glesnes to Los Angeles FC in December, the Union signed Larsen from Norwegian club SK Brann for a fee of about $938,000. The Union also acquired Sundstrom in a trade with D.C. United to bolster its back line.
Martínez played a key role for Juventud as the club won promotion from the second division to the top Uruguayan league, Liga AUF Uruguaya, in 2024. Martínez played in 12 of Juventud’s 15 games in the fall half of Uruguay’s 2025 season, from mid-August through late October.
He also spent time in 2025 on loan at second division side Central Español FC, which finished second and received promotion to the top division.
At a news conference before the team left for its preseason camp in Spain, Jon Scheer, the Union’s director of academy and professional development, made it clear that the team was not done acquiring players in this winter’s transfer window.
Another forward will soon join the ranks in 23-year-old Agustin Anello. A South Florida native, he moved to Barcelona, Spain, with his family at a young age. He has played for clubs in Spain, Belgium, Croatia, Netherlands, and, most recently, Uruguay.
Anello made his last move, to Boston River in Uruguay’s capital city, Montevideo, in the summer of 2024. Boston River happens to be the club on which the Union parked forward prospect José Riasco on loan from September 2023 to August 2024, right before Anello arrived there.
While those players would not have crossed paths, Anello does know some others with Union ties. In November 2023, he was teammates with Harriel and Jack McGlynn on the U.S. under-23 national team. The Union will pay a $2 million transfer fee, a source with knowledge of the matter said, confirming The Athletic’s initial report of the number.
The Union set a club record by signing Ezekiel Alladoh this winter. The Ghanaian striker arrived from Sweden’s IF Brommapojkarna for a fee of $4.5 million in December.
The MLS transfer window will close on March 26, leaving the Union with time to make more deals if they wish.
The Union will begin the season with a Concacaf Champions Cup match against Trinidadian champion Defence Force FC in Port of Spain, Trinidad, on Feb. 18. The team opens its MLS regular season with a match at D.C. United on Feb. 21.
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