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(Trevor MacMillan/HFX Wanderers FC)
5 CPL newcomers who made an impact during the 2023 season
2023-11-22
by
Mitchell Tierney, Digital Content Producer (@mitchelltierney)
News

Playing in and adjusting to a new league is never an easy task. For some, it means moving to a new country, away from friends and family, potentially learning a new language and can even be a player’s first time in a professional environment.

The Canadian Premier League brings with it some unique challenges, such as the intense travel that comes with playing in such a large country, or adjusting to playing against the same opponent four or more times a season.

Despite those potential obstacles, several first-year CPL players were among the best in the league this past season, with several of them being nominated for awards and winning weekly and monthly honours.

Here are five standout newcomers in the Canadian Premier League from the 2023 campaign:

Lorenzo Callegari (Midfielder, Halifax Wanderers)

Callegari’s résumé instantly leapt off the page when he was acquired by Halifax in January. Having made a Ligue 1 appearance for Paris Saint-Germain, as well as several for various French national youth teams, he had a pedigree rare among CPL players, especially at the age of just 25.

Any questions as to whether that would translate to the Canadian Premier League level were quickly answered when he stepped onto the pitch. Callegari’s quality and consistency in midfield was essential in Halifax’s incredible turnaround this season.

He was the most heavily involved player in the league, with 1,949 passes completed and 2,344 touches — both highest in the CPL. He led the league in possession won (224) and added six assists despite playing as a deep-lying midfielder.

Callegari was one of five nominees for the league’s Player of the Year award, and finished fourth in voting for the 2023 Players’ Player of the Year, voted on by his peers.

Massimo Ferrin (Attacker, Halifax Wanderers)

After dominating League1 Ontario with Vaughan Azzurri, winning the league’s MVP award, Golden Boot and the league championship, Ferrin joined his Vaughan head coach Patrice Gheisar in Halifax last off-season. The question quickly became how he would adapt those abilities to the professional level.

Admittedly, it took a bit of time for Ferrin to find consistency in the CPL, as much due to injury as anything else. By the end of his first season in the league, however, Ferrin had proven himself to be one of the league’s most dynamic attackers.

Capable of hurting teams in different ways, Ferrin led all CPL players in terms of goals from outside the box, with five, and only four players had more combined goals and assists overall than Ferrin’s 11 (eight goals, three assists) in 2023. He also finished among the league leaders in chances created (tied for fifth with 35) and dribbles completed (third, with 60).

Ferrin’s quality was recognized by his peers, as he finished tenth in voting for the CPL Players’ Player of the Year. He also made seven appearances in the league’s Gatorade Team of the Week.

Manjrekar James (Defender, Forge FC)

James was another high-profile off-season signing, and it felt like a case of the CPL’s rich getting richer when the central defender joined three-time champions Forge FC, having played multiple seasons in various European first divisions, as well as appearing in the UEFA Champions League.

Having also been capped 17 times by the national team, James came back to Canada specifically for the opportunity to play for his former Sigma FC coach Bobby Smyrniotis. He quickly established himself as one of the league’s premier central defenders, slotting perfectly into Forge’s possession-first style.

The 30-year-old finished third in the league in passes completed with 1,474 and second in possession won, doing so 184 times. He was also first in the league among defenders in duels won, with 175, with a solid 63.35 duel success rate.

The centre-back was named the league’s Player of the Week just three weeks into his CPL tenure. He also finished the season as one of the three nominees for Defender of the Year.

Daniel Nimick (Defender, Halifax Wanderers) 

After being selected by the Vancouver Whitecaps in the second round of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft, Nimick elected to instead join the team that Gheisar was building in Halifax.

Having spent four years with the Western Michigan Broncos in the NCAA, Nimick thrived in his first professional season, quickly becoming a key member of the Wanderers and establishing himself as one of the league’s best and most consistent defenders. He played the entire 90 minutes in all but one match for Halifax this past season.

The 23-year-old scored six goals in his first Canadian Premier League season, adding three assists. His tremendous passing range was key to the Wanderers’ ability to build from the back as he led all outfield players with 174 successful long balls.

Nimick finished a stellar first professional season as a nominee for the league’s Defender of the Year award, and he also finished tied for eighth in voting for the CPL Players’ Player of the Year. Nimick was named the league’s Player of the Month for August.

Ayman Sellouf (Attacker, Pacific FC)

Having just turned 22 in August, Sellouf is one of a growing list of young international players who are seeing the Canadian Premier League as an opportunity to develop their talents.

The Dutch attacker joined Pacific from Jong FC Utrecht and quickly developed into one of the league’s most dynamic attackers, capable of changing a match completely either as a starter or off the bench.

He was tied for the league lead in goal contributions with 15 (seven goals, and a league-leading eight assists). He also had an incredible flair for the dramatic with his on-ball skill, as he tied for the league lead in chances created with 51 and was fourth in dribbles completed (59).

Sellouf finished fifth in voting for the league’s Players’ Player of the Year award. He was also named the league’s Player of the Month for June.

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