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CPL offseason update: where all eight CPL teams stand entering 2023

As the new year begins, it has already been quite the offseason in the Canadian Premier League.

A new club has entered the fold, giving the first glimpses of how it plans to shape its inaugural roster. Meanwhile, a number of notable names within the league have moved clubs, while others still have departed for Europe, or are currently undergoing trials at intriguing levels.

At the turn of the year, and with so much happening both within the league and the soccer world in general, it is worth a quick refresher on how each team enters the year 2023.

Here is a look at what each of the eight CPL clubs have done so far this offseason:


Atlético Ottawa

After an incredible 2022 Canadian Premier League campaign, the regular season champions were always going to attract some interest to their roster. So far, that looks to be the case as 2022 Player of the Year Ollie Bassett and Goalkeeper of the Year finalist Nathan Ingham are currently on trial with Atlético San Luis in Mexico. Highly rated defender Diego Espejo, meanwhile, has returned on loan for the season but is also on trial with Inter Miami of Major League Soccer.

While it remains to be seen if any of those trials are successful, Ottawa has lost a number of key players this offseason. Sergio Camus returned to Atlético Madrid B, Vladimir Moragrega is back with Atlético San Luis, while contracts expired for Iván Pérez, Chris Mannella, Keven Alemán and Ben McKendry. Captain Drew Beckie, meanwhile, announced his retirement last month but will remain with the club as their team manager.

What sort of moves Atleti makes to combat this exodus remains to be seen, but will be critical to building on a historic 2022 season for the club in 2023.

Cavalry FC

After yet another heartbreaking end to their season, falling to eventual champions Forge FC in the 2022 semi-finals, Cavalry has already majorly shuffled their deck. Gone are a host of players, including Tom Field, Elijah Adekugbe, Elliot Simmons, Anthony Novak, Jean-Aniel Assi, David Norman Jr., Karifa Yao and Bradley Vliet.

They have made just a single signing so far to replace that outgoing group, but it looks to be a solid one in former Australian youth international and Brisbane Roar central midfielder Jesse Daley.

What Cavalry does next, particularly in attack will be intriguing. While they finished second in the league behind Forge in goals scored last season, the Cavs scored just 18 times in the 18 matches after Aribim Pepple left for England. They were never quite able to replace the 19-year-old’s attacking ability.

Forge FC

The champions have undoubtedly been the quietest of the Canadian Premier League sides so far this offseason. They have yet to announce a single new signing or departure from the group that lifted its third North Star Shield in four years.

Forge proved this past year that they probably don’t need much adjustment to their roster, boasting the deepest and likely most talented group in the league. Keeping that group under the salary cap, however, even if that cap was raised this past season, remains a challenge. Who from their current group they are able to retain will go a long way toward defining their 2023 season.

With this in mind, Forge is always capable of an offseason surprise or two, none more so than the last offseason when they took Terran Campbell and Alessandro Hojabrpour from 2021 champs Pacific FC.

HFX Wanderers

It has been a busy offseason out on the east coast for Halifax, both on and off the field. That starts with a new man in charge, as Patrice Gheisar was brought in to replace Stephen Hart, who was let go following the 2022 campaign.

The side, who finished seventh place and scored the least amount of goals in the league last season has seen significant roster turnover. Akeem Garcia announced his retirement in October, while last month saw the club announce the departure of both goalkeepers, Peter Schaale, Obeng Tabi, Eriks Santos, Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé, Alex Marshall, Mour Samb, Pierre Lamothe, Marcello Polisi and Cory Bent.

Halifax has already made a few high-profile signings, however, including FC Edmonton standout Wes Timoteo. They also brought in Canadian youth international and Palmeiras youth academy attacker Tiago Coimbra, as well as League1 Ontario MVP and Golden Boot winner, and former player under Gheisar at Vaughan Azzurri, Massimo Ferrin.

Wes Timoteo (Courtesy: Cavalry FC)
Wes Timoteo (Courtesy: Cavalry FC)

Pacific FC

There’s no question that Pacific FC was not the same team after Golden Boot winner Alejandro Diaz left in August. Finding a suitable replacement at number 9 was probably at the top of the club’s shopping list. They took care of that early in the offseason, bringing in a top-quality one in 24-year-old Easton Ongaro, who sits third all-time in CPL scoring.

Pacific also added proven CPL quality to their midfield with the likes of former Halifax Wanderers player Pierre Lamothe and Canadian youth international Steffen Yeates.

They still have a lot of work to do, however, as a number of players have already departed, most recently star winger Marco Bustos. Captain Jamar Dixon announced his retirement, while Jordan Haynes, Umaro Baldé, Nathan Mavila, Kamron Habibullah, Callum Irving, Abdou Samake, Matthew Baldisimo and Gianni dos Santos are also among the departures.

Valour FC

After finishing fifth in back-to-back seasons, the goal for Valour in 2023 is to finally take that next step and make a first-ever CPL postseason appearance.

In order to do that, they will have to replace a lot of departing quality this offseason. In the past two months, they have seen 2021 CPL Goalkeeper of the Year Jonathan Sirois, 2022 U-21 Player of the Year Sean Rea (returning to CF Montréal), Alessandro Riggi and leading goalscorer Moses Dyer.

Valour has already added a solid group of experienced CPL players, including Jordan Haynes, Abdou Samake and Marcello Polisi. They also added attacker Pacifique Niyongabire from Perth Glory in Australia and Kian Williams, a midfielder who played in the Icelandic top division.

Vancouver FC

It goes without saying that expansion side Vancouver FC has more work to do than any other CPL club to get its roster ready for the 2023 season.

So far, with their first three signings they have brought in familiar faces with CPL experience, including former Pacific FC goalkeeper Callum Irving, HFX Wanderers/Cavalry FC midfielder Elliot Simmons and York United forward Mamadou Kane.  They also drafted Anthony White and Ameer Kinani first and second overall respectively in the 2023 CPL-U SPORTS Draft.

Expect a number of further signings from the league’s newest side to be announced in the coming weeks as they continue to shape the roster for their inaugural season.

York United FC

Last but certainly not least is one of the most active teams in the Canadian Premier League so far this offseason. After missing the playoffs this past season, York has set out to build on a strong final third of the 2022 season.

They have been active both in terms of additions and departures as a large contingent of players has already left the nine stripes this offseason. Defender of the Year candidate Dominick Zator, Isaiah Johnston and Mateo Hernández have all joined new clubs. Chrisnovic N’sa, Noah Verhoeven, William Wallace, Lisandro Cabrera, Luis-Lawrie Lattanzio and Eduardo Jesus have departed as well.

In response, York has added some midfield solidity through the likes of former Cavalry FC midfielder Elijah Adekugbe and Halifax’s Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé. They are also hoping to have added international quality in 24-year-old Dutch youth international fullback Lassana Faye.