TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Vancouver Whitecaps FC have acquired fullback Bruno Gaspar on loan from Primeira Liga side Sporting CP, the club announced Tuesday. The deal includes a purchase option.
MLSsoccer.com previously reported the Whitecaps' deal for Gaspar. A source adds the purchase option will be around $1.75 million.
Gaspar, 27, joined Sporting ahead of the 2018-19 season and has made 30 appearances for the Portuguese club. He spent 2019-20 on loan with Olympiakos in Greece.
āBruno brings a wealth of experience from a number of very good leagues in Europe,ā head coach Marc Dos Santos said in a club statement. āAs we continue to improve our roster piece by piece, Bruno is one part of additional moves we are looking to make. Itās important that we make sure we keep competition at a high level throughout our roster and Bruno will bring that to our team. We are very happy to have him join our club.ā
The defender came through the famed Benfica academy before moving to Vitoria GuimarĆ£es. He was a regular with Portugal's youth national teams but recently switched affiliations to Angola, where he's made four appearances.
āThe Whitecaps fans can be sure I will give 200 percent in every minute of every game," said Gaspar. "I am very excited to join this club and canāt wait to play for the city of Vancouver. I look forward to joining my new teammates and canāt wait to get started.ā
Gaspar joins longtime Whitecap Jake Nerwinski and first-round 2021 SuperDraft selection Javain Brown as Dos Santos' natural options at right back.