VANCOUVER – It took a bit of time this offseason, but Vancouver Whitecaps FC completed an important piece of business on Wednesday, as midfielder Cristian Techera completed his transfer to the MLS club from Uruguayan outfit Club Atlético River Plate Montevideo.
The 23-year-old, who finished second in goals (7) and assists (5) with the Whitecaps last season, initially joined the Blue and White on a season-long loan last April, with a view to a permanent transfer. Using Targeted Allocation Money, Vancouver completed the permanent transfer of Techera and signed the diminutive attacker to a multi-year contract.
The South American import follows returning center back Pa-Modou Kah and the new arrival of Japanese striker Masato Kudo in committing to the ‘Caps for the coming campaign.
"Cristian has shown in his first year that he's a terrific young player," Robinson said in the Whitecaps’ press release. "He's the type of player that gets fans out of their seats. We're thrilled to have him remain with the club."
Nicknamed ‘The Bug’, Techera’s influence on Vancouver’s attack was essential to what was the club’s best season in MLS in 2015. He started 21 of 26 appearances in all competitions and made the MLS Team of the Week back in August. He also played a key role in Vancouver winning its inaugural Amway Canadian Championship title last year.
Meanwhile, Whitecaps center back Tim Parker has earned his first international call-up to the United States national team for their upcoming friendlies versus Iceland and Canada.
Parker, who had an outstanding rookie season with the Whitecaps in 2015, was named in a youthful 23-man squad by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. They will hold camp at the StubHub Center in Carson, California, from January 10 to February 6.
