The Vancouver Whitecaps have been busy this summer transfer window.
On Tuesday morning, the club announced two more additions. The first was Guinean international Yadaly Diaby. The striker, who can also play on the wing, signed from French Ligue 2 side Grenoble Foot 38. Diaby signed a contract through the 2029-30 season with an option for 2030-31.
Soon after, the club announced the signing of Portuguese-born, Angolan international Rui Modesto. He is a right wing-back but can also play right wing. Modesto signs from Serie A side Udinese. Like Diaby, Modesto signed a deal through the 2029-30 season with an option for 2030-31.
Both players bring depth and experience to the Whitecaps, as both are 26. Vancouver is gearing up for an MLS Cup run, so it was very good that CEO and Sporting Director Axel Schuster brought some depth. That is especially true given how many injuries this team has sustained this season.
So who are these new signings and what can they do on the pitch? Let’s take a look.
What Diaby brings to the Whitecaps
Diaby is a versatile forward, as mentioned above.
With Grenoble, he has scored two goals in three games this season. Last season, Diaby scored nine goals and tallied two assists in 33 Ligue 2 games last season.
Here is a highlight package of Diaby:
The first thing you’ll notice is Diaby’s acceleration. He looks explosive with the ball and is very good at beating defenders 1-on-1 and cutting into the box. Diaby is also very good at link-up play and finding space between defenders. He is also a set-piece threat, which is a nice bonus.
Overall, the Whitecaps are getting a versatile and fast forward that is also a threat in front of goal.
The underlying numbers, courtesy of FootyStats, show that Diaby is really good at goal and shot creation. However, his passing and chance creation can be improved.
Diaby brings much-needed speed and firepower to the Whitecaps attack. That will be crucial when the Whitecaps are on the transition or trying to break down low blocks.
Prior to joining Grenoble, Diaby played for Andrézieux Bouthéon (Where he came through their academy) and then Clermont and even played for Austria Lustenau on loan from Clermont from 2022 to 2024.
The Whitecaps have enjoyed buying attackers from Ligue 1 over the past year or so. Emmanuel Sabbi was bought from Le Havre in the winter of 2025, and Cheikh Sabaly was bought from FC Metz last winter.
What Rui Modesto brings to the Whitecaps
It will be interesting to see whether the Whitecaps use Modesto as a right winger or a right-back. Like Diaby, it is nice that he brings versatility.
The Angolan international also brings pace and a high work-rate. He is an excellent progressive passer and has good awareness and positioning. Modesto is also a solid dribbler and good at winning tackles and duels.
In Whitecaps head coach Jesper Sørensen’s system, pace and service from the wings and flanks are crucial. Given that Modesto is also great at overlapping runs and that he is versatile, he could either kick-start the transition with his runs as a wing-back or finish it with him cutting inside.
The underlying numbers show that he is decent at defending. And despite not being the best passer, he does get assists and creates scoring chances.
Modesto has mainly been playing as a right winger before leaving Estrela VN in Portugal for AIK in Finland in 2020. He joined fellow Finnish side AIK in 2023 before making the move to Udinese the following year. Modesto spent the second half of the 2025-26 season on loan at Serie B side Palermo.
Modesto gives the Whitecaps another option on the right wing with Ryan Gauld and Sabbi. Edier Ocampo and Nikola Djordevic are the current right-backs. Perhaps Ocampo leaves within the next year or two given his stellar performances, and Modesto could take his spot.
(Thankfully, Modesto and Diaby did not come to Vancouver injured!)
Is this a good transfer window for Vancouver?
As this is being written, there is still one day left in the transfer window.
In addition to Diaby and Modesto, the Whitecaps signed Aleksa Cvetkovic, Emrick Fotsing (loaned back to Vancouver FC for the remainder of this season), Sebastian Ramirez (loan until the end of the 2027 sprint season with option to buy) and Kwasi Poku.
There has been a theme for these signings: Depth and/or the future.
These signings are typical of Schuster. Not the flashiest names, but they provide Sørensen and his staff options. The Whitecaps had a solid window. They got exactly what they needed.
With the likes of Gauld, Brian White, Andres Cubas, Thomas Müller, Tristan Blackmon and Yohei Takaoka leading the way and all the new signings now in, the Whitecaps have depth at just about every position. Now it’s up to them to continue pushing for an MLS Cup title.
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