Davide Chiumiento was back in Vancouver this weekend, and a Whitecaps spokesman confirmed to MLSsoccer.com on Sunday evening that the attacking midfielder indeed met with head coach Martin Rennie.
Whether they discussed a possible return to the club, however, as was reported earlier Sunday by The Province, isn't clear.
Chiumiento was sold back to FC Zürich back in early July in a move that both parties at the time said was about contract terms and a desire for the Swiss-Italian to be closer to his daughter and parents. But there was certainly disappointment on the player's end.
"As a player, I would have loved to have stayed here," he told MLSsoccer.com this past summer. "It’s a great place to play football because people here love soccer also now. It’s really growing and it’s a beautiful place to live. But I have to see for my future, but I didn’t feel they – I don’t know how to say, but I felt it was the best decision for me. That’s football."
The Whitecaps certainly suffered in his absence as well, lacking the creative spark Chiumiento brought to the attacking third, especially in a 10-game stretch to close the regular season in which Vancouver won once and scored just seven goals.
They made the MLS Cup playoffs, but were eliminated by the eventual champion LA Galaxy in the Knockout Round, 2-1.
According to the report in The Province, Chiumiento and the club will talk further. But the 28-year-old seemed pleased with his return to British Columbia.
