Official release from Philadelphia Union
Philadelphia Union announced the club has selected Nizar Khalfan in the MLS Waiver Draft after Vancouver Whitecaps FC waived him earlier today.
Additionally, the Union have waived goalkeeper Thorne Holder and defender Juan Diego Gonzalez.
A native of Mtwara, Tanzania, Khalfan has seen action in a total of 22 Major League Soccer regular season matches since the 2011 expansion team started play in the league. In 1,066 minutes, Khalfan notched a goal and four assists. The midfielder joined Vancouver midway through the 2009 USL First Division season, playing a total 58 games and 3,029 minutes.
Holder originally signed with the Union on March 1, 2011, seeing action in four reserve games against New York (4/10), New England (7/18, 9/8) and Columbus (9/18). The goalkeeper suffered a season-ending concussion during his last reserve game against the Crew.
Gonzalez came to the Union on August 5, 2010 after three years with Colombian club La Equidad, playing a total of seven games with the first team. In 2011, the Colombian defender started all 10 of Philadelphia's Reserve League matches but did not see action with the first team.
