The summer transfer window is closed for Canadian clubs and that includes the Vancouver Whitecaps. That’s all folks!
So they let Javain Brown go on waivers and he was claimed by Real Salt Lake. The Whitecaps brought in Edier Ocampo from Colombia’s Atlético Nacional. I did a deep dive on Ocampo and you can read it here if you want. It has also been reported that fellow Colombian Deiber Caicedo is returning from his loan at Junior
Was that really it? Yes, it was. That was really it. It is underwhelming and disappointing. I bet Whitecaps fans are feeling like this Dewey from Malcolm In The Middle: I expect nothing, but I was still let down.
I kind of feel the same way.
This was a huge opportunity for the Whitecaps
The Whitecaps did not need to make a huge splash. Let’s face it, they were never going to sign a big name. Frankly, I accepted that fact a long time ago. Nor did they not need to buy thousands of players like a certain Premier League club I follow.
As mentioned many times on this website and the Terminal City FC Podcast, the Whitecaps have a good team. They just needed a few more pieces to become a great team.
That included another attacker. Vancouver has an open Designated Player Spot plus another Under-22 spot. They needed someone to add more spark to the attack and help Ryan Gauld and Brian White. Sadly, nothing happened.
It was wrong to expect much from the Whitecaps in this transfer window but you can’t help but still feel underwhelmed. Vancouver is in their 50th season and has put out their best squad in their MLS. This is a big oppurtunity to gain new fans, win back old ones and make a statement in the Vancouver market.
But the “Same old Whitecaps” and “Team doesn’t spend” narratives keep popping up, especially in my Twitter mentions. Understandably, fans are questioning the club’s ambition. Do they seriously want to win? Is winning the Canadian Championship and just making the playoffs good enough?
In the past, sure. But now with the squad Vancouver has, definitely not. The fans want the bar to be raised. Just making the playoffs isn’t good enough, especially since the club has only one playoff win in their MLS era.
Sure, it wasn’t going to be easy to sign players. There was paperwork and visas to deal with, which was why it took some time for Ocampo to be officially announced. Plus, the transfer deadline being moved up by a week for Canadian clubs must have thrown a wrench into the Whitecaps plans.
But still, it feels like the club is content with being good and not great.
Western Conference teams loading up
What makes this even more frustrating is that several teams in the Western Conference have bulked up.
The Whitecaps currently sit fifth in MLS with 38 points and are just three behind fourth-place Colorado. However, they have at least a game in hand with the teams around them.
LA Galaxy is currently on top of the Western Conference and just signed long-time Borussia Dortmund captain Marco Reus. With a team that has firepower in Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil, Reus makes the Galaxy seen as a legitimate contender.
LAFC are also contenders but their chances for a third MLS Cup in three years increase with former Arsenal, Chelsea and AC Milan striker Olivier Giroud now in the fold. Giroud and Denis Bouanga already look like a lethal duo. Oh yeah, it’s been reported they are closing in on signing fellow French international Antoine Greizmann. Tom Bogert of Give Me Sport and contributor to CBS Sports Golazo first reported the deal and says it is a matter of when and not if. So El Trafico seems exciting.
Led by Cristian Arango, Real Salt Lake look like a bonafide contender but they added another ingredient to the pot. They added Portuguese winger Diogo Goncalves to their arsenal and he’s a technical and versatile number 10.
So the West is looking more scary and the path to a deep playoff run for the Whitecaps looks tougher.
Coping
Is it over? Well, not quite.
The Whitecaps cannot sign players under contract or make trades since their window is over. They can, however, sign free agents, which they did in the winter window. The MLS roster freeze is on September 13 so there is time if they choose to go that route.
I’m not sure who they could sign as a free agent to fill the DP spot or a U22 spot. James Rodriguez would be cool but it is very unlikely. There is also Stuart Armstrong, a Scottish international who most recently played for Southampton. There is also a connection with Gauld dating back to their time at Dundee United.
Could another signing happen and could it be a DP or U22 on a free? We’ll see. Also, I would like to explain how the Whitecaps would make the cap and roster work but I don’t want my brain to explode.
Vancouver isn’t back in action until August 24. By then, Gauld, Tristan Blackmon and Sam Adekugbe should be fit. It is a chance to get back into gear and tackle the home stretch of the regular season.
Yeah, this is an insane amount of coping. But at this point, that’s what we can do until the regular season resumes.
Time will tell if Ocampo is the only signing and if Axel Schuster and his team made the right decision going forward. I have no doubt in my mind that this is a playoff team but going on a deep run? I’m not so sure yet. But the Whitecaps have the chance to prove people (myself included) wrong.