York United announced on Wednesday afternoon that they have signed Canadian forward Mo Babouli to a contract through the end of the 2024 Canadian Premier League season.
Babouli is a Canadian Premier League champion, having won with 905 Derby rivals Forge FC at The Island Games in 2020, and reached the final again in 2021, where Forge FC lost to Pacific FC. The 29-year-old made 43 appearances for The Hammers in his two years with the club, scoring 12 times and adding six assists as well.
It was his assist that set up the winning goal in the 2020 CPL final against HFX Wanderers.
GOAL ? | #CanPL ?
The Hammer has DROPPED! @ForgeFCHamilton opens the scoring in the 2020 #IslandGames Final, Alexandre Achinioti-Jonsson punishing @HFXWanderersFC on a corner kick follow-up ?
30 minutes to go!
?: https://t.co/hishXepRT3 pic.twitter.com/wpd1cJXwH8
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) September 19, 2020
Babouli has also won the Canadian Championship, doing so with Toronto FC in 2016, and was part of the CONCACAF League Team Of The Tournament with The Hammers a season ago. He most recently played for Muaither FC in Qatar.
“We’re obviously really happy to have got this deal done and make Mo a York United player until the end of 2024,” said York United President/CEO & GM Angus McNab in a press release. “He’s already proven just how much of an impact he can have in this league and I also believe he can be a fantastic influence in the locker room with our young group as well.”
“It was important, with the departure of Lowell [Wright], to make sure we recruited a quality player. Equally, it was crucial to bring in someone who wanted to commit to a deal that ensures we have stability and certainty in our planning for Martin and the staff to build around.”
York head coach Martin Nash adds a proven finisher to a team that has struggled at times this season to score goals, and as McNab mentioned, also has one signed for the next few seasons.
“Mo is a very creative, talented and experienced player that really wanted to join York United,” said Nash in the press release. “We are especially pleased to have him for 2023 and 2024. He is one of the important pieces for us moving forward.”