The Whitecaps continued to work on scripts after being dealt a bad hand. The typical option in this scenario would have been an MLS goalkeeper, but it’s unclear if the league signed one after last year’s pool GK Greg Ranjitsingh was signed by Toronto FC. Sources say a GK pool wasn’t an option for Vancouver, though it’s unclear if that means there’s no GK pool or if there were none that had an international transfer certificate to play in Canada.
ITC also played a role in the potential pool of short-term loans.
Due to the closing of the MLS transfer window, any player added on a short-term loan (or GK pool) should have a work permit in Canada. The team cannot temporarily add a player currently registered with an American club to the Vancouver roster because they would have to move their ITC, even if it is a player registered in MLS, due to the closure of the transfer window.
Thankfully, York United don’t have a CPL game this weekend and have worked with the Whitecaps to allow Giantsopoulos to be loaned out for the game. He moved on Saturday to join his temporary teammates in Charlotte late in the evening.
Giantsopoulos, 27, has made 25 CPL appearances over the past two years. He has played in Australia before. Anchor, 17, is a highly rated Vancouver academy talent and a young Canada international, most recently with the U-20s in April.
In addition to goalkeepers, midfielder Pedro Vite and defender Jake Nerwinski are unavailable on Sunday under health and safety protocols as well. Midfielder Caio Alexandre is yet to make his debut this year through injury, while DP midfielder Andres Cubas is yet to make his debut following his transfer earlier this month. Starting defenseman Tristan Blackmon remains absent.
Star midfielder Ryan Gauld is back from health and safety protocols after missing the last two games and is available for selection.
