Vancouver Whitecaps: 2020 Preview – Rebuild continues
By Matt Coles
Offseason Summary
Squad Retention
The Vancouver Whitecaps were able to sign Iraqi star Ali Adnan on a permanent deal following his successful loan spell from Udinese last season. He will be key down the left side this term. Alongside the versatile defender will be Jake Nerwinski and Derek Cornelius, both of whom were a part of the club’s backline last season, while Maxime Crepeau, one of the highest-rated goalkeepers in MLS in 2019, will return in goal.
Yordy Reyna, Hwang In-Beom, Andy Rose, Fredy Montero and Tosaint Ricketts will be the men charged with the goalscoring this season, with the latter pair expected to be the club’s forwards for the majority of the campaign.
Transfers & SuperDraft Picks
Vancouver saw ten players walk out the door for the final time in the offseason. Goalkeeper Zac MacMath was traded to Real Salt Lake for $50,000 TAM. Fellow shot-stopper Sean Melvin, along with a trio of defenders, in Brendan McDonough, Scott Sutter and PC, all saw their options declined by the club.
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Brett Levis was out of contract following the 2019 term, while Spanish midfielder Jon Erice agreed to a mutual termination of his contract with the club in early January. David Norman Jr. was traded to Inter Miami for a 2022 MLS SuperDraft pick, Doneil Henry made the switch to Korean football, signing for Suwon Samsung Bluewings, and Venezuelan forward Anthony Blondell signed for Chilean side C.D. Huachipato.
However, nine came into the club. Patrick Metcalfe, Gianfranco Facchineri and Damiano Pecile have all graduated to the first team from the development squad, while fellow Canadian Lucas Cavallini was brought in as the big-money signing from Mexican side Club Puebla, the Canadian club paying a club-record $6 million.
Cristian Gutierrez joins up with the Whitecaps from Colo-Colo on a free transfer, while Bryan Meredith made the move from Inter Miami in exchange for a 2021 MLS SuperDraft selection. Three players were also signed on undisclosed transfer deals. Cristian Dajome, Leonard Owusu and Erik Godoy will all join Vancouver for the start of the 2020 campaign. Along with those nine signings, the Whitecaps have also brought in French forward David Milinkovic and Serbian defender Ranko Veselinovic on loan for the season, signing them from Hull City and Vojvodina, respectively.
The Whitecaps had picks inside the top six in each of the four rounds but opted to only use their first and second-round selections. With the fourth overall selection, Vancouver chose Syracuse midfielder Ryan Raposo, before selecting Florida International goalkeeper Daniel Gagliardi in the second round.