VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps, looking to bolster a sagging defence, have signed Canadian internationals David Edgar and Marcel de Jong.
Both signed 18-month contracts with the MLS team.
Edgar, a 29-year-old defender-midfielder from Kitchener, Ont., who left for England in 2001 at 14 to join Newcastle’s youth system, played last season in England’s third tier with Sheffield United on loan from Birmingham City. The Blues, who play in the second-tier Championship League, released the six-foot-four 190-pounder in May.
“We are thrilled to add David to the group,” Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson said in a statement Monday. “He is a good size, a natural organizer, and brings a wealth of playing experience at very good levels in England from a young age.”
De Jong, a 29-year-old defender from Newmarket, Ont., was with Ottawa Fury FC of the North American Soccer League most recently.
“We are very familiar with Marcel, both from playing against him and his years with the national team,” said Robinson. “He’s a good professional who brings additional experience and versatility to our squad.”
The five-foot-nine 165-pounder can play left fullback or as a midfielder.
The Whitecaps (7-8-4) have given up 33 goals this season and are tied with New England in conceding a league-worst 1.74 goals a game.
Vancouver conceded a 95th-minute goal on the weekend and had to settle for a 2-2 draw with visiting Colorado. It marked the eighth time in league play this season the Whitecaps have given up a goal after the 75th-minute mark.
“It’s not great,” Robinson said after the match when asked about his defence, which has conceded eight goals in the last four games. “You’re not going to win enough games of football if you’re conceding two because you need to score three every time … We need to be tighter.”
“We’ve got to stop conceding two goals,” he added.
While Robinson said defending is a team effort, Edgar is clearly being counted on to help stop the defensive rot.
Edgar joined Birmingham in June 2014 on a free transfer from Burnley, whom he joined in 2009. He started well but things changed after he was sent off in the seventh minute of an 8-0 loss to Bournemouth four months later. A new manager came in and the team started doing well, keeping him out of the lineup.
He eventually went to Huddersfield on loan before moving to Sheffield United.
Edgar, who can also play in midfield, has won 37 senior caps for Canada. He served as skipper of the senior team against El Salvador at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup and in June in friendlies in Austria against Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.
At the time of the Austria games, Edgar called a move to MLS “definitely an option.”
“I’m delighted to sign for Whitecaps FC and especially to be back in Canada,” Edgar said in a statement Monday. “After all my years in England, it has always been in my plans to come and be a part of MLS.
“I’m very excited for this next step in my career and to be a part of a fantastic organization like Whitecaps FC. I already feel at home at B.C. Place being part of the Canadian national team and the recent World Cup qualifiers here.”
A dual Canada-Dutch citizen, de Jong began his youth career in the Netherlands with PSV Eindhoven before signing with Helmond Sport and Roda JC.
He moved to Germany in 2010, helping FC Augsburg win promotion. De Jong made 13 appearances for Sporting Kansas City in 2015.
Comments