Philadelphia Union sign Andre Blake to new multi-year contract

The Philadelphia Union announced Wednesday that the club has agreed to a new multi-year contract with goalkeeper Andre Blake, using Targeted Allocation Money to sign the 27-year-old to new terms.

Those terms weren't disclosed, but since Blake made $186,500 last season, the use of TAM in this new deal suggests the Jamaica international has received a substantial pay raise. TAM may be used to pay down the salary of a player such that they are not categorized as Designated Players - that means players must make more than $480,625 but less than $1 million to be eligible (as of 2017).

In any case, Blake's signed on with the Union for at least two more seasons, though club sporting director Earnie Stewart sees Blake as being a long-term part of the team.

"It is a priority for us to build and secure the foundation of the Philadelphia Union, and Andre is as big a part of that foundation as any player," Stewart said in a statement. "Ensuring he will be here for years to come is an important step for our club."

Blake was the recipient of the 2016 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award and was also a finalist for the 2017 edition. He has amassed 66 appearances for the Union over four seasons, and he's been first choice in the last two. In 2017, the 6-foot-2 'keeper posted a 1.31 goals-against average.

Last September, Blake was linked with a move to Premier League outfits like Crystal Palace and Brighton, though no such deal materialized as Jamaica's low FIFA ranking made him ineligible for a UK work permit.

At the time, Blake said: "I can't get too worked up over it, even though it's a very good opportunity I'm missing out on. Maybe it's not time yet, or maybe it wasn't meant to be. I've just got to keep working hard and maybe someday, somehow, if it's supposed to be it will happen."