Pacific FC announced Wednesday that the club has picked up the 2024 option for midfielder Sean Young and signed midfielder Zakaria Bahous to a new contract heading into the upcoming season. Young, a Victoria native, is coming off his best year with the club, recording four goals and four assists over 32 appearances last season. Bahous enters into his second season at Pacific after joining midway through the 2023 Season.
Young, 22, is entering his fifth season with Pacific FC, holding the all-time record for appearances in club history with 98 total appearances. Young is expected to eclipse the 100 appearance mark for Pacific FC at home versus Valour on Friday, April 19 at 7 p.m. PT. Young has spent his entire professional career in Victoria, signing with Pacific after previously playing for the Vancouver Island Wave program and Victoria Highlanders FC.
“Pacific FC in its creation set out to develop local players and create a pathway to professional football,” expressed James Merriman, Pacific FC head coach. “Sean is an example of that development pathway and we are proud of his growth as a player and a person. To have an Island born player lead the club in appearances and be set to be the first Pacific FC player to reach 100 matches for our club is a success story for Pacific and the Canadian Premier League. We believe in Sean and see him maturing into a well rounded box to box midfielder who’s eager to take those next steps towards his ambition.”
Young will once again be joined in the midfield by Zakaria Bahous who signed a new one-year contract with Pacific FC with a club option for 2025. Bahous, 22, joined the team as a mid-season acquisition from Atlético Ottawa during the 2023 campaign. Bahous spent two seasons in Ottawa before being acquired by Pacific FC. He made six appearances and totaled 253 minutes for the club last season with hopes to grow into his potential heading into next season.
“We are excited to continue working with Bahous, he is a talented young player with high potential and good versatility,” said James Merriman, Pacific FC head coach. “Zak is a technical player with ample ability and vision. He is tenacious and has a strong intensity without the ball that compliments our style of play.”
Fortifying Pacific’s midfield core will be fellow Canadians, Steffen Yeates and Cédric Toussaint, who are both returning under contract for the 2024 CPL season. Yeates, 24, will be entering his second season for Pacific FC, recording one goal and two assists over 32 appearances for the club last season. Yeates previously played for MLS Next Pro in 2022 scoring three goals and three assists as a member of Toronto FC ll.
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Toussaint, 22, will be entering his third season for Pacific FC appearing in 28 matches and totaling 1893 minutes during the 2023 CPL season. Toussaint, born in Drummondville, Que., previously played in the Montreal Impact developmental system before signing a two year contract with York United.
The four young midfielders will also be joined by fellow Canadian midfielder Pierre Lamothe who returns from a loan spell in Vietnam at Ho Chi Minh City FC. Pacific holds a club option on Yeates and Lamothe for the 2025 season.