TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
The Vancouver Whitecaps added to their attack Monday by acquiring winger David Milinković on a one-year loan with an option to purchase from English Championship side Hull City, the club announced.
The well-traveled 25-year-old French native, who has close to 100 professional appearances in Europe, has joined the Whitecaps preseason camp in Southern California.
“Marc and I are very familiar with David, especially from his time with Hearts in Scotland during the 2017-18 season where he was a key contributor in the final third,” Whitecaps FC sporting director Axel Schuster said in a statement. “Although his most recent spell at Hull City has not worked out exactly the way he had hoped, David is excited about this new opportunity. He fits our profile and will bring additional experience to our group. We are happy to welcome David to our club and city.”
Milinkovic is the fourth attacking player the ‘Caps have signed in the last two months, following Designated Player striker Lucas Cavallini, Colombian winger Cristian Dájome, and Generation adidas winger/attacking midfielder Ryan Raposo.
The Whitecaps are Milinkovic’s 11th professional club after making his debut with Serbian side Rad in 2013. After competing for BASK Beograd from 2013-14, he moved to Italy where he signed with Genoa and went on loan spells with Virtus Lanciano, Messina, where he had his most success with seven goals in 34 appearances, and Foggia.
In 2017, Milinkovic made 24 loan appearances with Hearts in Scotland, scoring six goals, before joining Hull City of the English Championship in July, 2018. He's made just one appearance for Hull this year, scoring a goal and setting up another in a 3-0 win over Tranmere Rovers in the first round of the EFL Cup in August.
“The opportunity to bring in a player with the quality of David, that worked within our current roster, was an opportunity that we could not just let go,” added Whitecaps FC head coach Marc Dos Santos. “David is a player with an incredible work ethic, he is committed to the team, and is very hungry to return to the form he showed at Hearts.”
