Report: Whitecaps to acquire striker Fabian Espíndola from DC United

Jul 20 2016, 11:29 pm

Reports have surfaced this morning indicating that the Vancouver Whitecaps are about to trade unspecified allocation money to DC United in exchange for veteran striker Fabian Espíndola.

The Argentinian forward is a proven goal scorer, spending the last nine and a half seasons in Major League Soccer with Real Salt Lake, New York Red Bulls, and DC United. The Buenos Aires native has scored 64 goals in 212 MLS appearances.

Image: MLS

Image: MLS

The 31-year-old Espíndola is in the final year of a contract that pays him $200,000, so from the outside it seems like a low risk proposition by Carl Robinson and his coaching staff. Invest little in a proven MLS goal scorer, see how things go and then make a decision about next year and beyond.

Espíndola is currently listed as a Designated Player for DC United so it is likely that the ‘Caps will inherit the designation in the trade. The Argentinian is only two years removed from a season that saw him score 11 goals and tally 9 assists.

Espíndola would replace former Whitecaps striker Octavio Rivero, who was transferred to a club in Chile earlier this month.

If this trade comes to pass, and everything seems to point out that it will, the move poses big questions at the likelihood that the Blue and White will indeed extend a contract to Mexican striker Enrique Esqueda, currently in a training trial stint with the ‘Caps.

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