Vancouver Whitecaps on the verge of bolstering midfield with two new players
The Vancouver Whitecaps’ quest to get back to the MLS Cup Finals has taken an early-season hit.
Veteran wing Ryan Gauld was ruled out for the start of the season after he underwent a procedure on his left knee. It was the same knee that’s been giving him issues since early last season.
The Whitecaps didn’t just survive without Gauld last season. They thrived.
However, some of the players who helped fill the void in his absence are no longer with the team.
Most notably, Ali Ahmed left the Whitecaps to join Norwich City FC of the Championship League in England. Jayden Nelson was another fill-in, and he’s now with Austin FC.
With those guys gone and Gauld now out, it made sense for the Whitecaps to target some reinforcements. And, it sounds like they’re closing in on signing two players to the squad.
Reports on Wednesday suggested that Vancouver is on the verge of signing 24-year-old American midfielder Aziel Jackson, along with 21-year-old Ecuadorian wing Bruno Caicedo.
A source confirmed to Daily Hive that the Whitecaps are indeed closing in on signing both players.
Caicedo is the more intriguing of the two. Even though he just turned 21 years old a couple of weeks ago, the speedy winger has been a full-time player for Orense in Ecuador’s top soccer league. He’s also represented his country on the U20 circuit.
An Ecuadorian publication reported that the Whitecaps have signed Caicedo to a contract for the next four-and-a-half-years.
While the Whitecaps may be hoping Caicedo is a long-term fit, the same might not be the case with Jackson.
The New York native has bounced around with a couple of MLS organizations before joining Jagiellonia in Poland’s top soccer league. He signed a three-year deal with the club in July 2025.
It appears as though his time in Poland hasn’t gone all that well. He’s started just once while playing in six of Jagiellonia’s 17 games so far this season.
Polish soccer reporter Tomasz WĹ‚odarczyk writes that Jackson would be on loan to Vancouver until the summer, where the Whitecaps could decide at that time to keep Jackson.
Throughout his MLS career, Jackson has six goals and 10 assists in 86 matches. He is projected to be a backup for Thomas MĂĽller.