Vancouver Whitecaps get younger by signing 17-year-old to squad
Not only is Thomas Müller the most well-known player on the Vancouver Whitecaps, but he’s also the elder statesman on the team at 35 years old.
Hopefully, this doesn’t make Müller feel too old, because the Whitecaps just signed someone less than half his age.
On Friday morning, the Whitecaps announced that they had signed forward Rayan Elloumi to an MLS contract as a homegrown player through 2028, with club options for 2029 and 2030.
“Rayan joined our academy as a highly talented young player, and he has continued to develop at an exceptional rate,” said Whitecaps CEO and sporting director Axel Schuster.
“We believe this is the right time to bring him closer to the first team, where we can challenge him further, support his continued development, and prepare him for the next level in MLS.”
The 17-year-old has been impressive in the developmental MLS Next Pro league. Despite being one of the youngest players in the league, he is currently top 10 in goals scored, with 11 tallies in 18 games played. He leads all 2007-born players in MLS Next Pro in that department.
The St. Albert-born and Edmonton-raised forward did get his first taste of MLS action earlier this season, drawing in as a substitute during a 2-1 Whitecaps loss to the Columbus Crew on June 14.
During that match, he became the eighth-youngest player to ever suit up for the Whitecaps in an MLS match.
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