The Vancouver Whitecaps made a signing on deadline day. This was a signing that was rumoured to happen for a while. After what felt like a million years, the Whitecaps announced on Thursday that they had signed Colombian wingback Edier Ocampo. He signed a four-year contract.
The 20-year-old takes a U22 spot. He signed from Atlético Nacional in Colombia’s Categoría Primera A. That is Colombia’s top league.
The transfer fee was 1.75 million pounds. According to Manuel Veth of Transfermarkt, that is one of the most expensive transfers in the Whitecaps’ history. According to Transfermarkt, Ocampo is the 10th most expensive signing in club history.
High potential
“We identified Édier last fall as a young, high-potential player who would suit our style of play,” said Whitecaps Sporting Director and CEO Axel Schuster in the press release. “He is a fast, explosive wingback, aggressive on both sides of the ball, and is very direct in how he plays. We have started the visa process and hope to have him available as soon as possible. He has never played club football outside of Colombia, so we will need time to adapt but we are all very excited to welcome Édier to Vancouver.”
Ocampo being just 20 is a player that could be good in the future. For the Whitecaps, the future is now.
Ocampo made 75 appearances while playing in Colombia for Atlético Nacional and Fortaleza CEIF. In 2023, he helped Atlético Nacional win the Copa Colombia and the Colombian Superliga. This season, he had three goals and one assist in 21 matches played with Atlético Nacional. He even made 25 appearances for Colombia at the U-19, U-20, and U-23 levels. Ocampo also helped his country win a bronze medal at the 2022 South American Games and started four out of the five matches.
“I’m very excited to join Vancouver Whitecaps FC and I can’t wait to arrive in Vancouver and meet my new teammates and coaches,” said Ocampo in the press release. “Hopefully, with the help of God, we can reach the objectives we want. I can’t wait to feel the support of our fans and fight for them so we can win trophies, which is what we all want.”
What does Ocampo bring to the Whitecaps?
The one thing that is very noticeable about Ocampo is that he is excellent at carrying the ball.
Here is a quick highlight compilation of Ocampo.
So as you can see Ocampo looks very promising. Of course, this is just a highlight video of what he can do but there is lots to like, so we’ll focus on the good stuff.
He knows how to carry the ball and deliver it to the right areas, both on the left and right side of the pitch. Ocampo’s crosses look good and so do his forward passes. The 20-year-old isn’t speedy but he has the pace and likes to cut inside. It kind of reminds me of Ali Ahmed and his game.
Ocampo is very good at one-on-one duels both defensively and offensively. Tackling seems to be something he excels in, especially when it comes to tracking back.
Here is a look at his underlying numbers from the 2013 Copa Libertadores courtesy of FootballReference. It’s a small sample size as Atletico Nacional played six group stage games (finishing second) and got knocked out by Argentinian giants Racing Club over two legs in the Round of 16. Plus, this is the only data I could find that wasn’t behind a paywall.
These stats are against other fullbacks in the Copa Libertadores. It is not surprising the passing and defensive stats (minus blocks) look decent.
Progressive passes and progressive carries being in the 96th percentile is very encouraging. It shows Ocampo was one of the best at progressive passes in the tournament. The defensive tactics are also something to be intrigued about, especially clearances and aerials.
These stats from the 2023 Copa Libertadores show the player Ocampo is, or better yet, the player he could become.
How does he fit in?
Vanni Sartini plays primarily a 3-4-3 system. Wingbacks are very important. They not only provide service into the box, but they are often leading the transitions, which are important in Sartini’s system.
Ocampo joins Sam Adekugbe, Ryan Raposo, Giuseppe Bovalina, Luis Martins and Ahmed as wingbacks. Sebastian Berhalter and Alessandro Schöpf
The fact that Ocampo provides service, pace and pressing ability makes him a good fit.
Here is what Sartini said about how he can fit in. Interestingly, he says Ocampo can attack the spaces and attack the right post if they are playing the ball in transition down the left. Just as I thought, Sartini said Ocampo would be very useful in terms of pressing but has to learn how to play in a zonal marking system.
So here is a hypothetical healthy Whitecaps lineup with Ocampo in the mix.
With Adekugbe and Ocampo on the right, he could be the anchor on that flank to retrieve the ball, run up the pitch and create service for Ryan Gauld or the other attackers.
It will take time
Don’t expect Ocampo to make an impact right away. As Schuster and Sartini said, it will take time for him to adapt to his new team and a new system. He also has to adjust to living in a new environment.
Ocampo may or may not be an impact player in the short term. But in the long term, the potential is there.
