Over the past couple years, plenty of CPL players have shuffled around the league to various clubs, to varying levels of success. We’ve seen the star free agent moves, with the likes of Marco Bustos swapping Valour FC for Pacific FC, or more recently, Dominick Zator leaving Cavalry FC in favour of York United.
Not all player moves are the same, though; more often, they’re about finding a better spot for the individual player to contribute regularly.
This year, 18 CPLers have traded in their colours for another side within the league. Names like Chrisnovic N’sa, Ryan Telfer, and Manny Aparicio have moved around, changing the landscape of the league significantly.
A few players, though, will be looking for a personal boost with their new clubs. Here are four CPL players who may be poised for a huge 2021 campaign after swapping teams.
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Keven Alemán, Valour FC
Much was made of Keven Alemán’s return to Canada last year when he signed with FC Edmonton after a career spent mostly in the United States and Costa Rica. It didn’t quite work out for him with the Eddies — he started every game and scored once, but the team did not advance out of the first round after failing to win a game.
Still, Alemán may have been an underrated bright spot for the club. He was third in the CPL in total 1v1s attempted with 32 (13 successful), even though he only played seven games, and he was just outside the top 10 in total key passes. He was third on FC Edmonton in tackles made as well, as a versatile midfielder who was eager to get involved in every play.
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Alemán is exactly the kind of creative spark in the number 10 position that Valour needed last year to provide better service to the forwards. It helps that Alemán has a ton of experience, including some very recently on loan in the Costa Rican top flight.
It seems that Rob Gale intends to use Alemán as a real catalyst for the Valour attack, whether it’s in behind the strikers or perhaps as an inverted winger to allow him to cut inside and attack. He’ll be part of a very experienced group in Winnipeg, which could set them up for a strong 2021 campaign.
Zach Verhoven, Atlético Ottawa
The talented young winger from Burnaby, B.C. wasn’t likely to break into the starting 11 very often in a Pacific FC squad that includes Marco Bustos, Victor Blasco, and a host of other top attacking options. Instead, Verhoven saw Atlético Ottawa rebuilding its attack for the 2021 season and jumped on board as quickly as possible.
Ottawa is perhaps the best possible venue for players looking for a change of scenery right now, with so many playing opportunities available to be won at a club that is still looking to build an on-field identity.
At the Island Games, Verhoven was tied for third in the entire CPL in successful 1v1s, and fourth in chances created. His 1.44 expected assists rated near the top as well, all despite Verhoven starting just two of Pacific’s 10 games.
The 22-year-old is a very talented attacking player, as well as a versatile piece who could fill in for Atlético at right fullback if necessary. He’s probably best as an out-and-out right winger, free to take on defenders and create opportunities to score, but he’s dependable enough on both sides of the ball.
With Atlético Ottawa still unsure of how they’ll want to set up their attack, Verhoven has an excellent opportunity to prove he can be a regular starter and one of the league’s better Canadian wingers.
Niko Giantsopoulos, York United
Giantsopoulos, understandably, moved on from Cavalry FC this year in search of a better chance to start. The 26-year-old goalkeeper was stuck behind Marco Carducci in Calgary, meaning he’s only seen 10 appearances for the club over two seasons.
That said, those 10 appearances were always solid. Giantsopoulos posted an astonishing four clean sheets, allowing just eight goals, and he has lost just once in his CPL career (winning six). Moving to York, he’ll still have to compete with a good ‘keeper in Nathan Ingham, but Giantsopoulos likely wouldn’t have made the move if he didn’t think he’ll have a chance to win the starting job.
According to Sportlogiq, Giantsopoulos is an above-average CPL ‘keeper in shot-stopping, and he could be one of the league’s best in distribution and short passing. For a club like York that heavily emphasizes retaining possession and playing with the ball on the ground, somebody like Giantsopoulos could be perfect to help them play out of the back safely.
It seems that the Markham, Ontario native is happily settling in as a face of the club off the pitch, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him flourish similarly in game action.
Noah Verhoeven, York United
The Island Games were a difficult stretch for Verhoeven, who struggled to find playing time in the crowded Pacific lineup — he appeared in five games and just two as a starter, none of them coming in the group stage round of the competition.
Still, there’s plenty of talent here. Verhoeven was actually third in the whole CPL in successful 1v1s per 90 minutes (in a small sample size) in 2020, and although he never ultimately made much of an impact in limited appearances, he’s a good young player. In the 2019 season, Verhoeven played a much bigger role in the Pacific squad, making 25 appearances across all competitions. That year, he was well above the CPL average in successful passes under pressure and relief receptions (according to Sportlogiq), and he proved he can perform well in pretty much any role on the pitch.
In Verhoeven, York United will be getting an incredibly versatile player with a lot to prove. He had a down year in a truncated 2020, but he’ll be hungry to return to at least his 2019 level, or better. Under coach Jimmy Brennan, Verhoeven will be in a system that allows midfielders like him to flourish, keeping the ball on the ground and looking to play passes through the middle. With a heavily rebuilt York squad around him, this could be the fresh start Verhoeven needs to return to form and continue his development.