The Vancouver Whitecaps announced a number of roster updates today, two days after letting go of head coach Vanni Sartini.
The club revealed that it will not exercise the 2025 contract options for five players, most notably Fafa Picault. Picault scored nine MLS goals last season, which ranked third among Whitecaps players. The 33-year-old Haitian international will become a free agent, as will Austrian midfielder Alessandro Schöpf, after three years with the club.
Other players who didn’t get their contract options picked up include goalkeeper Joe Bendik and midfielders J.C. Ngando and Ralph Priso.
The Whitecaps say they’re in “ongoing discussions” with these players and wingback Ryan Raposo, whose contract expires at the end of the year.
“We are continuing our conversations with these six players about their situation, expectations, and how they align with our plans for the future,” said Whitecaps FC sporting director Axel Schuster. “Even though we are not pursuing the existing options, we will take the time provided to us by the MLS roster-building opportunities.”
In addition, the Whitecaps announced that they are not picking up the contract option for forward Levonte Johnson, who is eligible for the MLS re-entry draft.
“We are thankful to Levonte for his two seasons at the club,” said Schuster. “In our exit meeting, both sides agreed that now is the right time to go in another direction, and we wish him all the best.”
The Whitecaps did decide to pick up the contract options on three players, including goalkeepers Yohei Takaoka and Isaac Boehmer and forward Déiber Caicedo. They currently have 22 players on their MLS roster for next year.
Whitecaps players under contract for 2025:
- Goalkeepers (3): Max Anchor, Isaac Boehmer, Yohei Takaoka
- Defenders (8): Sam Adekugbe, Giuseppe Bovalina, Tristan Blackmon, Belal Halbouni, Bjørn Inge Utvik, Mathías Laborda, Édier Ocampo, Ranko Veselinović
- Midfielders (7): Ali Ahmed, Stuart Armstrong, Jeevan Badwal, Sebastian Berhalter, Andrés Cubas, Ryan Gauld, Pedro Vite
- Forwards (4): Déiber Caicedo, Nicolas Fleuriau Chateau, Damir Kreilach, Brian White