Krutzen Trial Concludes Amidst USL Interest

Three-time CPL champion Daniel Krutzen won’t be joining the Vancouver Whitecaps, confirmed head coach Vanni Sartini today.

The Caps boss confirmed to AFTN Canada that the 26-year-old centre-back won’t be training with the team anymore, having featured for the side in the second half of a two-nil loss to Hamburger SV. He’d been training out west in the ‘Caps setup since November and had earned a trial invitation during the club’s preseason stint in Spain.

While that sounds like great news for Forge FC, Vanni also stated that the defender received a good offer from a USL team, sparking the likelihood that a fifth season with Forge might not be on the cards.

Krutzen has picked up three North Star Shield titles throughout the last four seasons with Forge FC, for whom hhe’s made eighty appearances to date. The Dutch defender missed most of the previous CPL season after suffering an ACL injury at the tail end of the 2021, but surged back during the playoff period to captain the side en route to their latest title win.

His potential move stateside could arrive the season after he acquired his permanent residency, which ironically makes him even more attractive in the league he may now be leaving behind.

Sartini states that the Whitecaps simply had plenty of options for the position already, with the club having brought in Mathias Laborda and Karifa Yao ahead of Krutzen’s trial stint.

The left-footed defender has trialed elsewhere during the CPL offseason in the past, with 2021 seeing him join top flight Swedish side Orebro SK. This time around, however, Sartini makes it sound like a return to Hamilton, Ontario isn’t the most likely outcome.

Should a move stateside progress, there’ll be a sense of deja vu for Forge fans: last year saw Kwame Awuah trial with the Whitecaps before signing down in St. Louis, with the defender eventually landing in the USL Championship.

Source: AFTN Canada

Header Image Photo Credit: Audrey Magny / Canadian Premier League