TRANSFER TRACKER: Jessie Fleming rumoured to join Portland Timbers; Theo Corbeanu returns to Wolves
January 23rd - Jessie Fleming on the cusp of joining the Portland Thorns?
In one of the biggest shock developments of this transfer window, one of the CanWNT's most important players could be on the move very soon, as Jessie Fleming is reportedly set to head to the Portland Thorns on a record NWSL transfer from Chelsea, per Tom Garry.
Safe to say, given that Fleming has now been at Chelsea for parts of four seasons, becoming a key regular, it's a big surprise, given that it's felt like the 25-year-old had been yet to hit her ceiling with the club, either.
Despite winning eight trophies with Chelsea across her four years there, scoring 12 goals and adding 11 assists, Fleming has bounced in and around the squad, having only been a regular starter during the 2021-2022 campaign, where she scored eight of those goals and added seven of those assists. Since then, her minutes and productivity have slowly dwindled, as she hasn't been able to live up to what she showed that season, where she looked like a potential Ballon d'Or candidate.
Because of that, it led some to wonder if she'd continue to battle for a bigger role with Chelsea with her role getting smaller by the month, or head elsewhere, with the latter option looking attractive given that she'd likely attract a whole host of suitors.
And looks like this rumoured Portland Thorns transfer just backs up the idea that she's still a very valued commodity in the transfer market, with Garry reporting that the supposed sum of around £250,000 is believed to be an NWSL record.
Exclusive: Canada's Jessie Fleming is set to leave Chelsea and join Portland Thorns for around £250,000, believed to be an NWSL record. Fleming said goodbye to her Chelsea team-mates on Monday. She's adored by everyone at Chelsea and parts on great terms. More on @TeleFootball
— Tom Garry (@TomJGarry) January 23, 2024
Yet, it's no surprise that Portland would be willing to pay that, as they've got a strong contingent of Canadians involved at the club, led by general manager Karina LeBlanc in the front office, as well as on the pitch club captain and Canadian icon, Christine Sinclair, along with Janine Beckie.
Plus, this could be an opportunity for Fleming to play a starring role for a club, too, something that was always going to be tough at a club like Chelsea, who are one of the deepest teams in all of Europe. At the same time, with players like Sophia Smith, Sam Coffey, Hina Sugita and many more, this Thorns squad is also filled with quality, as well, and should be able to compete for trophies in the NWSL.
Therefore, while this may be a bit of a surprise move at first glance, it could push Fleming forward to another level, which is exactly what the CanWNT will be happy to see from her in an Olympic year.
January 23rd - Chandra Davidson joins SL Benfica
Chandra Davidson is back in Portugal, as the 25-year-old forward signed for Portuguese giants, Benfica, on a two-and-a-half-year contract on Monday.
After spending half of a season in the Netherlands with Fortuna Sittard, where she scored two goals and added one assist, it's a return to some familiar stomping grounds for Davidson, who previously spent parts of three seasons in Portugal with Sporting CP and Torrerense from 2020 to 2023, scoring 21 goals and adding 11 assists for Sporting across two seasons, after scoring eight goals for Torrerense in her lone season there.
Here’s one you may have missed today among the chaos.
— wsoccer.ca 💜 (@WsoccerCa) January 23, 2024
Canadian Chandra Davidson signed with 🇵🇹 giants Benfica until 2026.
The forward from Hamilton, ON returns to Liga BPI after half a season in the Netherlands.
She scored 29 goals for Sporting and Torreense in 72 games. pic.twitter.com/Hq4x8hsZew
As a result, she'll look to find some similar magic with Benfica, following in the footsteps of Canadians Cloé Lacasse and Marie-Yasmine Alidou, the latter of which remains at the club.
Yet to make her CanWNT debut, Davidson will hope that a successful Benfica stint can push her into the Canadian fold, although she'll be in tough at a forward position where Canada already has quite a few good options to consider at the moment.
January 20th - Sarah Stratigakis signs for Bristol City
There's another Canadian to keep an eye out for in the WSL, as Sarah Stratigakis joined Bristol City from Vittsjö on an 18-month contract this past weekend.
After spending two seasons in Sweden, scoring 10 goals and adding a handful of assists, it's a big jump for the 24-year-old, as she heads to one of the world's top leagues, but it'll be a good challenge for her.
Especially given that Bristol currently finds itself tied for last place in the league through 11 games with five points, putting them in the relegation zone, it'll take a strong effort from Stratigakis and her new teammates to stay in the division.
Welcome Sarah! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/K0c5e0bOuR
— Bristol City Women (@bristolcitywfc) January 20, 2024
So while this may seem like a strange move off the bat, as some could've wondered if staying in a more stable environment in Sweden could've made sense for her, this is a worthy gamble for Stratigakis.
Especially if she can find her feet in England, this could push her into the mix for a spot on the CanWNT's Olympic team this summer, one that does have an opening for a midfielder, something that she would've struggled to do in Sweden, which shows why this could be worth the risk for the Scarborough native.
January 19th - Theo Corbeanu recalled by Wolves from Grasshopper loan
Theo Corbeanu's stint in Switzerland has come to an end, as the 21-year-old winger's loan to Grasshopper from Wolverhampton was cut short this past weekend.
Due to a change in Grasshopper's ownership, who were previously owned by Wolves's owners before being sold to LAFC last week, pushed Corbeanu to return to Wolves, having only gone to Switzerland due to the connection between the two clubs.
Yet, after a strong stint there, one where he put up one goal and added five assists in league play, it turned out to be a strong fit, making it interesting to see where he lands.
Danke Theo 💙🤍
— Grasshopper Club Zürich (@gc_zuerich) January 19, 2024
GC Zürich und die @Wolves haben sich darauf geeinigt, die Leihe von Theo Corbeanu zu beenden.
Mehr: https://t.co/pH2wznaOZO#gc #zürich #traditionsclub pic.twitter.com/mkUCNjygn8
One option could be to stay with Wolves, who have battled all sorts of injuries this season, helping reinforce a depleted attack, although given that Wolves have sent Corbeanu out on loan five times since he made his Premier League debut in 2020-2021, that seems unlikely.
Either way, one thing's for sure - Corbeanu should end up at a decent landing spot, be it with Wolves or elsewhere, especially after what he showed with Grasshopper, where he did well to find some consistency in his performances.
January 17th - Nichelle Prince set to join KC Current?
It looks like a key CanWNT cog could be on the move in an Olympic year, as The Equalizer's Theo Lloyd-Hughes reported that Nichelle Prince is set to be traded from the Houston Dash to the Kansas City Current for Cece Kizer and an international spot.
After spending all of her pro career with the Dash, who she joined in 2017 after being drafted 28th overall, it would be a big move for the 28-year-old Prince, who has logged over 100 appearances with the club across seven seasons.
Yet, with a logjam of forwards in the Dash's ranks, especially after they drafted the highly-touted Canadian forward, Amanda West, last week, it looks like Prince will have to settle in at a new club after making just seven appearances last year as she returned from a serious Achilles injury.
For what it's worth, both teams were quite close in the table last year - in fact, they tied for 10th, with the Dash only ahead on a tiebreaker, so Prince will look to help push the Current back up and into a playoff spot this year.
#NWSL 🤝 TRADE: Sources tell me that the Houston Dash are sending Nichelle Prince to the KC Current in exchange for Cece Kizer + a 24’ INT. Spot.
— Theo L-H | @theolloydhughes.bsky.social (@theolloydhughes) January 17, 2024
📝 Full story, and analysis of what it means @EqualizerSoccer
Link ↘️https://t.co/KOqxf0ngl6 pic.twitter.com/QQzI2UcCqp
Plus, with this being an Olympic year, Bev Priestman will be keeping a close eye on Prince, who scored three goals in six games for Canada last year after returning from her injury, becoming a regular starter at the #9 over the latter half of the year.
Because of that, she's expected to play a big role in Paris, so Priestman will hope that Prince can find more minutes at the Current, especially as a #9, given that she usually played out wide in Houston.
And this could end up being a win-win move from a Canadian perspective, because if she can do that, and if West can take her minutes as a rookie for the Dash, that can only help strengthen the player pool.
So while Prince will certainly be reeling to leave a place she's called home for so long, she'll now look to make the most of this new opportunity that has presented itself here.
UPDATE: The KC Current officially announced the trade later that afternoon, confirming Prince's arrival at the club.
An Olympic Gold Medalist has entered the chat ✨
— KC Current (@thekccurrent) January 17, 2024
Welcome to Kansas City, @nichelleprince7! pic.twitter.com/gfdcIIVKGF
January 17th - Maxime Crépeau signs for Portland Timbers
Nearly two weeks after he was rumoured to be heading to Portland, Maxime Crépeau was announced as the Portland Timbers newest free agent signing on Wednesday, as he officially joined the club on a two-year deal, with an option year for a third.
As a result, the 29-year-old will now join the burgeoning Canadian movement at the club, after they recently signed James Pantemis and traded for Kamal Miller, and already had Zac McGraw in their ranks, as former CanMNT assistant Phil Neville continues to dip into the Canadian market after being hired by the Timbers this offseason.
Officially official: Maxime Crépeau is a Portland Timber
— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) January 17, 2024
He joins Kamal Miller, Zac McGraw and James Pantemis on a growing contingent of Canadians at Portland, as Phil Neville's continues to recruit Canadians
Safe to say, this adds another layer to the #VWFC rivalry...#CanMNT https://t.co/E2w8QM18Qj
Crépeau will be expected to bring a big boost to Portland's backline, as he's been one of MLS's best goalkeepers over the last five years, and could soon compete for the CanMNT #1 spot, too, especially if he can hit the ground running at his new club.
January 17th - Promise David attracting interest:
There's a different Canadian striker with the "David" surname attracting transfer interest, as 22-year-old striker, Promise David, has been linked to a variety of clubs by OneSoccer's Josh Deming.
A former Toronto FC academy product, David is currently at Estonian side Kalju FC, where he's scored 12 goals and added one assist in 26 games for their first team since last year, along with 22 goals in 19 games for their second team.
As a result, he's attracted interest from a variety of teams, including Atlético Madrid, Sheriff, Køge and Göztepe, as well as clubs in Israel and Poland.
🚨Excl. Atlético Madrid are looking at Canadian ST Promise David with the idea of doing preseason in Mexico and playing his first year with Atlético Ottawa. There's also interest from Sheriff, Køge, Göztepe, plus clubs in Israel & Poland. I'm told David dreams of a #VWFC move🇨🇦 pic.twitter.com/QbhT9hiaoi
— Josh Deming (@tv_jjd) January 17, 2024
Naturally, Atlético are the ones that stand out on that list, but a deal could make sense for them, as they would reportedly send him to their affiliate side, Atlético Ottawa, in the Canadian Premier League, allowing him to earn some seasoning before he'd get considered for the first time.
Because of that, it'll be interesting to see if he'll decide to take that path, or if he'll hold out and weigh some of his other options, as a move to Turkey or Denmark could also prove to be wise for his development.
For now, he remains with Kalju, where he'll look to continue scoring goals, only adding fuel to the fire that is surrounding his name at the moment.
January 17th - Easton Ongaro heads to Italy
For the second time this month, a Canadian is heading to Italy's Serie C, as Pacific FC announced that forward Easton Ongaro had been transferred to Novara FC for an undisclosed fee on Wednesday.
Pacific FC announce the transfer of striker, Easton Ongaro, to Italian club Novara FC.
— Pacific FC (@Pacificfccpl) January 17, 2024
Ongaro made 29 appearances with Pacific during his lone season with the club, recording five goals and two assists throughout the 2023 CPL season.
Best wishes to Ongaro in 2024 and beyond! pic.twitter.com/HECPg6nwpR
After just one season at Pacific, it's an intriguing move for the 25-year-old, as he returns to Europe for a second stint, having played for Romanian side UTA Arad in the first half of 2022.
Now, he'll give Italy a shot, after finishing 2023 with six goals and two assists in all competitions for Pacific, who he joined after spending a half-season with the Vancouver Whitecaps at the end of 2022, where he split time between their second and first team.
January 15th - Sebastian Breza returns to CF Montréal
Montréal is welcoming back a familiar face this week, as they signed 25-year-old goalkeeper, Sebastian Breza, to a two-year deal with two option years on Monday.
After spending 2021 and 2022 on loan at Montréal from Bologna, Breza then went on a short-term loan to Serie C side Carrarese to end off the 2022-2023 season, before signing with Swiss top-flight side Yverdon on a year-long loan for the 2023-2024 season.
Le CF Montréal ajoute à son effectif le gardien Sebastian Breza et le défenseur Joaquín Sosa du Bologna FC >>> https://t.co/NJs6nAULhT
— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) January 15, 2024
CF Montréal adds Bologna FC goalkeeper Sebastian Breza and defender Joaquín Sosa >>> https://t.co/v1WE5vzF6r#CFMTL pic.twitter.com/Sjq10XveHZ
Yet, after making 8 appearances with Yverdon, Breza has decided to return to Montréal, where he made 38 appearances across his time with the club, winning one Canadian Championship (in which he was named tournament MVP), spending most of his stint splitting appearances with James Pantemis.
With Pantemis now at the Portland Timbers, however, Breza will be expected to battle for minutes with Jonathan Sirois, who was excellent in his first full MLS season last year, which indicates that Breza will start as a backup, although he'll look to push for as many minutes as possible across all competitions.
January 12th - Luca Petrasso heads to Serie C's Triestina on loan
Former Toronto FC defender, Luca Petrasso, is going to call Italy home for at least the next six months, as the 23-year-old Orlando City left back was loaned out to Serie C side Triestina on loan this Friday.
Il difensore italo-canadese Luca Petrasso firma con la Triestina.
— US Triestina Calcio 1918 (@triestina1918) January 12, 2024
—
Italian-Canadian left-back Luca Petrasso joins Triestina.https://t.co/AjvZjEjflN pic.twitter.com/KYMqxY6XNS
Acquired via a trade with Toronto last year, Petrasso made 14 appearances across all competitions for Orlando last year, but missed a large chunk of the second half of the year with injuries, derailing a promising start to his time with the Lions.
As a result, both parties decided to give him a fresh start with this loan, one that will see him head to Italy for the rest of this season. From there, Triestina holds an option to buy him, giving Orlando the chance to potentially net a fee for him.
January 11th - CanMNT forward Iké Ugbo joins Sheffield Wednesday on loan from Troyes
Iké Ugbo is staying in the Championship, but with a new team, as the CanMNT forward joined Sheffield Wednesday on loan from Troyes this week.
✍️ We have completed the loan signing of striker Iké Ugbo from French Ligue 2 side Troyes!#swfc pic.twitter.com/U9zAjK8DDl
— Sheffield Wednesday (@swfc) January 11, 2024
After starting the year on loan with fellow Championship side, Cardiff, Ugbo's time in Wales came to an end this week, as he was recalled by Troyes, opening the door for this move to Wednesday.
Ugbo's time with Cardiff ended up being quite the rollercoaster, as he got off to a hot start for the Bluebirds, scoring three goals and adding one assist in his first four games, but he then fell out of favour and recently picked up a knock, leading both sides to look for an exit this window.
Now, he'll have his work cut out for him with Wednesday, as they're currently in the relegation zone, sitting in 22nd place with just 22 points from 26 games. They also remain alive in the FA Cup, having recently advanced to the fourth round of that tournament after a 4-0 win over none other than Cardiff last week, but their main priority will be remaining in the Championship after they were only promoted from EFL League 1 last season.
January 11th - James Cameron linked to possible MLS, Europe move
Vancouver FC youngster James Cameron continues to be linked with a move away from the CPL, as OneSoccer's Josh Deming reported that the 18-year-old had attracted interest from MLS sides Columbus Crew and DC United, as well as FC Copenhagen, Everton and Motherwell.
Source🚨 There has been some real interest in James Cameron from a variety of clubs across multiple markets, especially Columbus Crew & DC United for this upcoming season, not Next Pro but MLS. Others include FC Copenhagen, Everton & Motherwell for a potential January transfer 🇨🇦
— Josh Deming (@tv_jjd) January 11, 2024
After trialling with Premier League side Luton Town FC in November, as well as a few other unnamed Premier League outfits, it's a huge development for the 2023 U21 CPL Player of the Year nominee, showing the interest that continues to swirl around his name.
Given that he's played just one CPL season, making 19 appearances for Vancouver after being discovered at the club's open trials, one wouldn't be surprised if he stayed in the CPL, allowing him to build on his strong debut campaign, although this latest news suggests that he could be set to make the jump sooner rather than later.
For Vancouver, it'd be a key loss on the pitch, but between this and the recent news that 16-year-old talent, TJ Tahid, was training with Dutch giants Feyenoord, it's another sign that the CPL's newest club is already providing an opportunity for young Canadian talent to shine and move on to the next level.
January 9th - David Wotherspoon joins Dundee United
Veteran CanMNT midfielder David Wotherspoon is staying in Scotland, as he's set to sign with Scottish Championship side Dundee United next week, with his short-term contract with fellow Championship side Inverness set to expire.
EXCLUSIVE: Dundee United win race for David Wotherspoon signing as St Johnstone legend boosts Tangerines’ title chase https://t.co/A600A8Q0hm pic.twitter.com/BVLzJt1JMN
— The Courier Sport (@thecouriersport) January 9, 2024
After scoring three goals and adding one assist for a midtable Inverness side this fall, the former St.Johnstone mainstay will look to help Dundee push back to the Scottish Premiership, as they currently sit second in the Championship in their first season back in the division after they were relegated from the top flight last season.
Wotherspoon attracted CPL interest as a free agent last year, but decided to remain in Scotland, where he has spent the entirety of his professional career.
UPDATE (January 15th): David Wotherspoon officially joined Dundee United on a six-month deal.
January 9th - Alphonso Davies continues to attract Real Madrid interest
With his Bayern Munich contract set to expire in 2025, Davies continues to attract strong interest from Real Madrid, who want to bring the CanMNT star to the Spanish capital this summer, per Florian Plettenberg.
🆕 News #Davies: Real Madrid definitely wants him! He’s the desired left-back target next summer! Real bosses in regular contact with his agent.
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) January 9, 2024
⚠️ Excl. detail: Real allegedly asked him NOT to extend with Bayern ✔️
➡️ Negotiations with Bayern about a new contract beyond 2025… pic.twitter.com/iOvjGOide9
According to the veteran journalist, Real Madrid have reportedly told Davies to not extend his contract with Bayern, which could open him up to a move this summer, with ESPN also reporting that the German giants could make him available for transfer this summer if he doesn't renew his deal.
Because of that, it's ramped up the pressure on Bayern to speed up talks on a new contract ahead of the summer, knowing that Madrid will be waiting.
Davies remains a fan favourite at Bayern, where he's been since 2019, winning five Bundesliga titles, one Champions League 2 Pokals, 3 German Super Cups, 1 UEFA Super Cup and 1 Club World Cup, but he could be enticed by joining the 14-time Champions League winners, Madrid, who have attracted some of the top young talent in the world over the last few years like Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Vinicius Jr and more, and continue to be linked with stars like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.
For a youngster who has already won every possible trophy at Bayern, the possibility of joining that project could be hard to ignore, even if reports suggest that Davies remains comfortable and happy in Munich.
Either way, Canadians will follow this story as it continues to develop, as Davies's future will have a big effect on the CanMNT ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
January 8th - Jonathan David linked to Aston Villa, Manchester United
Jonathan David continues to be linked to a Premier League move, as Steve Kay reported this week that Aston Villa and Manchester United are both interested in signing the CanMNT star.
After attracting interest from AC Milan earlier this season, before things cooled with Milan's early Champions League exit, this is a big development for David, who continues to be linked with some of Europe's top clubs, as has been the case over the last few years.
This time, however, there seems to be a strong possibility that this is the summer that David finally does get that dream move.
With his Lille contract expiring in 2025, the French side will have to sell him this summer unless they want to risk losing him for free, as David could start talking with other clubs for such a move as soon as January of 2025.
After not selling David despite all of that interest as they held out for a big fee, it would be a big blow for Lille, as they would've missed the opportunity to cash out on a forward who has scored 68 goals and added 15 assists in 160 games for the club, something they've done well in the past with forwards such as Victor Osimhen, Nicolas Pepé and many more.
Because of that, it appears that David will likely be on the move this summer, with this Villa and United interest only being the start of this interest.
Until then, David will look to heat up after a slow start to 2023-2024, which could only help his case for a move away from Lille.
January 8 - Bianca St-Georges signs for North Carolina Courage
26-year-old CanWNT wing back Bianca St-Georges signed for the North Carolina Courage this week, joining the club as a free agent following five seasons with the Chicago Red Stars.
Having played 58 games with Chicago, scoring eight goals and adding five assists, while making nine appearances for the CanWNT, St-Georges joins a Courage side looking to take a big step forward after finishing third in the NWSL regular season last year, before then falling to eventual champions, Gotham, in the first round.
January 5 - Richie Laryea reportedly set to leave Whitecaps
It looks like Richie Laryea's stint in Vancouver could be a short one, as JJ Adams reported Friday that the CanMNT international is unlikely to return to the Whitecaps from Nottingham Forest, both on loan or permanently.
It's not completely 💯 yet, but it appears Richie Laryea's time with #VWFC is over.
— J.J. Adams (@TheRealJJAdams) January 5, 2024
Still has 18 months left on his contract with Forest, until June 2025, but don't know if he'll be heading back overseas or staying in MLS.
Then, adding to those reports, Adams later clarified that the Whitecaps had put in a strong offer to retain Laryea, but that his future remained in Forest's hands, as they were unable to find a price that worked for the English outfit.
That's because as reported by Tom Bogert, Laryea remains listed as a free agent in MLS, putting a limit on what the Whitecaps can offer him, with that number not meeting Forest's demands.
Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster told @TheRealJJAdams
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) January 9, 2024
“The max amount that Richie can cost us in our (salary) cap by MLS rules isn’t the problem for him, it’s more of a problem (w/ Nottingham). And the club is not … open to let him go for a price that would make this deal possible” https://t.co/ogZcyvD2xi
Because of that, while Laryea continues to retain MLS interest from Vancouver and a few others, a move back to the league will only happen if Forest budges their demands, which would likely make the Whitecaps the favourites to land him in that case.
Until then, however, a move in Europe seems like a possibility, although no possible destinations have emerged. For what it's worth, it was reported last year that some La Liga clubs were interested in him, so that could also be something to keep an eye on.
Could last night’s disastrous loss have been Richie Laryea’s last Toronto FC game?
— Joshua Kloke (@joshuakloke) June 22, 2023
TFC’s MVP this year heads to Gold Cup soon with loan deal done June 30. It doesn’t sound like there’s been lots of discussions with club. Laryea is weighing Euro options and has La Liga interest.
January 5 - Portland Timbers acquire two Canadians, interested in a third
The Portland Timbers are becoming a desired spot for CanMNT talent, as they made some big splashes to start 2024.
To begin, they signed 26-year-old CanMNT goalkeeper James Pantemis as a free agent, bringing in the former CF Montréal man to help shore up their goalkeeper depth. Then, they traded for 26-year-old CanMNT centre back Kamal Miller from Inter Miami.
Along with the presence of CanMNT centre back Zac McGraw, that all of a sudden gave Portland a strong core of Canadians to build around at the back.
There’s a 2nd MLS team in Cascadia to keep an eye on from a #CanMNT perspective, as the Portland Timbers officially signed 🇨🇦 GK James Pantemis today, as rumoured
— Alexandre Gangué-Ruzic (@AlexGangueRuzic) January 5, 2024
He joins newly arrived Kamal Miller and Zac McGraw among the Portland 🇨🇦 defensive contingent https://t.co/MzdMfYuVP7
And it sounds like they're not done there, as Tom Bogert has now reported that they're interested in signing free agent goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, after he wasn't re-signed at LAFC following their signing of Hugo Lloris.
BREAKING: The Portland Timbers are finalizing a deal to sign Canadian int'l GK Maxime Crepeau, per sources.
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) January 5, 2024
Crepeau, 29, made back-to-back MLS Cups w/ LAFC, winning 2022. Portland ecstatic to get one of MLS' top GKs in free agency & add his leadership.https://t.co/kYG5Q0oX08 pic.twitter.com/HcyAnHi5EM
Given that Crépeau has been pegged to become the CanMNT's #1 goalkeeper, it's a huge coup for Portland, although one can only wonder what it means for Pantemis, who many thought would push to be a #1 with the Timbers.
Either way, one thing's for sure - new head coach Phil Neville left quite the impression in his short stint as a CanMNT assistant coach this summer, with sources noting that his time with Canada was received well by staff and teammates, something that these latest moves seem to back up.
January 5 - Tajon Buchanan joins Inter Milan
After weeks of rumours, Tajon Buchanan joined Inter Milan on Friday, as the 24-year-old signed a four-and-a-half year deal with the Italian giants on a reported fee of seven million euros from Club Brugge.
Having been linked to some of the top Italian clubs for over a year, with Inter having been one of the strongest links off the back of a strong World Cup from Buchanan, it's a big move for the Canadian, who joins one of the top clubs in the world.
Following two years with Brugge, it's a big step up for Buchanan, but one that will push him immensely, as he looks to prove himself at his new club.
Welcome 🇨🇦#ForzaInter #WelcomeTajon
— Inter (@Inter) January 5, 2024
The first CanMNT player to join a Serie A club, Buchanan will likely start his Inter career as a rotational player, before looking to become a starter once Denzel Dumfries is sold to a top club, as has been rumoured for a while now.
Inter currently sits in first in Serie A, and has also qualified for the Champions League Round of 16, where they'll play Atlético Madrid, as they try to return to a second straight final in that competition.
January 5 - Lucas Cavallini returns to Puebla
Lucas Cavallini is back at a familiar spot, as he joined Liga MX side Puebla as a free agent this week, returning to his old club for the first time since 2019.
After a one-year stint in Tijuana in 2023, and a three-year stint in MLS with the Vancouver Whitecaps from 2020 to 2021, it's a chance for a fresh start at one of his most successful landing spots for the 31-year-old, who scored 28 goals and added eight assists for the club in his first stint.
¡El Tanque Cavallini regresó a 🏡, hijos de su Enfranjadísima!😎 #LoÚnicoQueNecesitasEsLaFranja🎽 y nada más, Lucas👊🏻
— Club Puebla🎽 (@ClubPueblaMX) January 5, 2024
Dale 🔁 porque desde YA estás con nuestro delantero⚽️ pic.twitter.com/BmYE5efCCO
After scoring just three goals and adding two assists for Tijuana, he'll look to return to his old scoring ways for Puebla, as he looks to remain in the Canadian fold heading into a big year.
January 3rd - Shelina Zadorsky signs for West Ham
Shelina Zadorsky is swapping clubs in the WSL, as she joined West Ham on loan from Tottenham, as she'll look to reinforce the Hammers backline for the rest of the 2023-2024 season.
We are delighted to announce the signing of Canada International, Shelina Zadorsky to the Club! ⚒️
— West Ham United Women (@westhamwomen) January 3, 2024
The experienced defender joins on loan from Tottenham Hotspur until the end of the 2023/24 season. 🫧
After a tough start to the year with Spurs, where she made just five appearances, the former Spurs captain will look to refind her form with West Ham, where she reunites with former head coach, Rehanne Skinner, who coached Zadorksy at Spurs from 2020 to 2023.
In an Olympic year for the CanWNT, the 31-year-old faces stiff competition at centre back to make the Canadian squad for that tournament, so the 2021 gold medallist will also look to use this opportunity to try and gain an edge in that race for a spot at Paris 2024.
Plus, she brings some much-needed experience to a West Ham side currently sitting tied for last in the WSL, having played over 60 games for Spurs and a further 60+ in the NWSL, to go along with her 95 CanWNT caps.
December 30th - Tanya Boychuk joins Vittsjö
There's another Canadian in the Damallsvenskan, as 23-year-old forward, Tanya Boychuk, joined Swedish side Vittsjö on a two-year deal this week.
Tanya Boychuk joins Vittsjö
— Richard Scott 👣 (@richardscott187) December 31, 2023
"I’m excited to join the club, coaching staff & great players. I’m committed to working hard & doing my best in helping the team be successful! I am looking forward to the opportunity to improve not only as a player, but grow as a person."#CANWNT pic.twitter.com/9v52Z8UBLz
Following a short stint in Iceland with Thróttur Reykjavík FC, it's a big move for the former University of Memphis standout, as she continues to make inroads in the pro game after scoring 21 goals and adding nine assists in 74 games for Memphis.
She's yet to debut for the CanWNT, although she has previously been called up, but she'll look to change that as the CanwNT continues their push towards the 2024 Paris Olympics.
