Fresh from selling teenage midfielder Grady McDonnell to Belgium's Club Brugge in the second-biggest transfer in Canadian Premier League history, Vancouver FC hopes to have unearthed another young star in 17-year-old Emrick Fotsing.
The midfielder has signed through 2027 with a club option for 2028 on a CPL "Exceptional Young Talent" contract.
Fotsing joined the CF Montreal academy in 2021, captaining the under-17 side and playing in the MLS Next Pro ranks. In December 2023, he was invited to train with the academy of Bologna FC, the Italian team that Montreal owner Joey Saputo has a stake in.
“Our dedication to developing the next generation of football stars is already proving successful," Rob Friend, Vancouver FC’s co-owner, president and chief executive officer, said in a statement. "Grady McDonnell’s rapid rise from Vancouver FC to Club Brugge in just one year is a clear example of our ability to provide the right environment for young players to thrive.
"Emrick now steps into that same pathway, and we are excited to help him reach his full potential on the professional stage."
The league did not disclose the transfer amount of McDonnell, who turns 17 on Feb. 17. But a source, granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, said the fee was 350,000 euros ($517,965).
The sale is second only to Forge FC's transfer of Kwasi Poku in August to Belgian second-division side RWD Molenbeek, which reports pegged at $850,000.
The CPL introduced the Exceptional Young Talent category in July 2023 in a bid to further create opportunities for young Canadian players. It allows teams to sign two additional under-18 domestic players outside of their 23-man roster, occupying spots 24 and 25.
Their base salary and portions of bonuses and housing costs do not count toward a team’s cap.
Vancouver immediately used the category on 18-year-old defender James Cameron and 16-year-old TJ Tahid. McDonnell, then 15, came on board in January 2024.
A product of AS Mascouche (now Union Lanaudière Sud), Fotsing joined the Montreal academy from AS Blainville in 2021.
Vancouver coach Afshin Ghotbi calls Fotsing "an exceptional talent."
"His extraordinary athleticism, football intelligence, and maturity at such a young age demonstrate that he is ready for the Canadian Premier League challenge," he added.
Like McDonnell before him, Fotsing was drawn by the opportunity of playing time with the CPL side.
"I know that Vancouver FC is a club that believes in young players and helps them grow. That’s exactly what I need at this stage of my career, and I can’t wait to get started," he said.
In other CPL news, Pacific FC has signed veteran Portuguese centre back Pedro Machado and teenage midfielder Matteo Schiavoni.
The 28-year-old Machado spent last season in the Finnish top tier with IFK Mariehamn.
The six-foot-three defender spent his youth career with Quarteirense and Louletano before working his way up the pro ranks in Portugal, debuting with Casa Pia AC in 2019 before moving to UD Oliveirense in 2020.
He had a brief stint in Romania with FC U Craiova in 2022 before returning to Portugal with SC União Torreense and then Vitória Setúbal, in 2023.
Schiavoni has signed a contract through 2026, with a club option for 2027.
The 19-year-old Canadian youth international signed a first-team deal with Montreal last March and took part in its first-team training camp in Arizona last year but did not see league action.
A native of Montreal, Schiavoni spent time in the Montreal academy between 2019 and 2022, playing for the club's U-15, U-17 and U-23 sides. He joined Montréal’s partner club Bologna FC’s academy in July 2022, where he represented the club's U-19 team in the Primavera 1 league over two seasons with two goals and three assists in 29 appearances.
He was subsequently loaned to Forge FC for the 2024 CPL season, recording one goal in 14 appearances for Forge.
In November, Montreal elected not to exercise his contract option.
Schiavoni represented Canada at the 2024 CONCACAF Men’s U-20 Championship Qualifiers last February and at the CONCACAF Men’s Under-20 Championship last July.
“Matteo has ambitions, he's hungry to develop and prove himself," Pacific coach James Merriman said in a statement. “We are very excited to add a young central midfielder with this potential. In our conversations, he has made it clear he will come and fight immediately."
Pacific players are slated to start pre-season training next Monday.
Elsewhere, Atletico Ottawa has named J.D. Ulanowski as general manager. The 28-year-old previously had served as the club's director of soccer operations and assistant general manager.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2025.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
