The Vancouver Whitecaps finally announced the signing of Lucas Cavallini from Liga MX side Puebla on a Designated Player contract through 2022.
Cavallini joins the ‘Caps in a transfer worth around $5 million depending on added bonuses. Cavallini becomes the most expensive signing in Whitecaps history, as previously reported last week by Pro Soccer USA.
“We’ve been looking for a forward with the characteristics of Lucas,” Whitecaps FC head coach Marc Dos Santos said in a club statement. “Lucas is committed when the team doesn’t have the ball, and at the same time he’s very hungry to get in the box and make a difference in the attacking half.”
Whitecaps’ sporting director Axel Schuster said Cavallini is an important member of Canada’s resurgence on the international scene, having success playing in two leagues in the Americas.
“I am happy to be here, happy for this opportunity, happy this club pushed for me, and it feels great,” Cavallini in the club statement. “I am thankful to a lot people here in Vancouver, from the ownership to Axel Schuster and coach Marc Dos Santos.”
The Canadian national team striker has been prolific in Liga MX. He scored 28 goals and notched eight assists in 81 games for Puebla.
Whether Cavallini on his own will be enough to fix Vancouver’s attack is doubtful. The ‘Caps have been woeful in the buildup in 2019 and will need to add players that can feed the ball to Cavallini.
Cavallini, however, feels he can help the club right away.
“The team has brought me here for a reason,” Cavallini said. “And I have to do what I love to do, which is score goals and give the fans a lot to cheer about.”