NASHVILLE SOCCER CLUB SIGNS GOALKEEPER BEN MARTINO FROM PHILADELPHIA UNION TO A HOMEGROWN DEAL

Nashville Soccer Club announced today it has signed Philadelphia Union Academy product Ben Martino to a homegrown deal and acquired Martino’s homegrown priority, in exchange for $50,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money (GAM). Nashville SC could send an additional $100,000 in GAM should certain performance-based incentives be met. Philadelphia does retain a percentage of any sell-on fee.

Martino made his USL Championship debut with the Philadelphia Union II as an Academy player at the age of 17 in July of 2020, and went into participating in three matches. He then spent the last two seasons as the starting goalkeeper for Virginia Tech at the collegiate level. In his first season with the Hokies, Martino appeared in 18 matches with five clean sheets and an outstanding 1.23 goals against average. This past season Martino became the team’s captain as he continued his prowess in net with 16 appearances and .711 save percentage.

Be sure to follow Nashville SC by visiting www.NashvilleSC.com and the club’s social channels on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Transaction: Nashville SC trades $50,000 in 2024 GAM to Philadelphia Union in exchange for Goalkeeper Ben Martino

BEN MARTINO

Position: Goalkeeper

Height: 6-6

Weight: 210

Birthdate: Sep. 13, 2002

Age: 20

Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Nationality: United States

Last Club: Philadelphia Union

How Acquired:Via trade with Philadelphia Union in exchange for $50,000 in 2024 General Allocation Money (GAM) on Jan. 6, 2023

Nashville SC joined Major League Soccer on Feb. 29, 2020, in front of the largest attendance ever recorded for a soccer match in the State of Tennessee. In its inaugural MLS season, Nashville SC defeated expectations by becoming the second MLS expansion side to win and advance to the Conference Semifinals in the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. Nashville SC returned to the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in its sophomore season after becoming just the seventh team in MLS history to go unbeaten at home in a season. Nashville SC inaugurated GEODIS Park, the largest soccer-specific stadium in the United States and Canada, in front of a 30,109-sellout crowd on May 1, 2022. For more information, visit NashvilleSC.com and follow the club at @NashvilleSC on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Spotify.  