Eddies Man Easton Ongaro Departs for Denmark In Suspected Loan Move

UPDATE: It has now been announced that Easton Ongaro has been loaned to Danish First Division side Vendsyssel FF.

FC Edmonton striker Easton Ongaro has boarded a plane destined for Denmark, with the 22-year-old stating on social media that his next chapter was about to begin.

At the moment, it’s unclear if this move to Europe is a loan or transfer, with FC Edmonton yet to comment on the player’s movement. Ongaro signed a two-year deal with FC Edmonton which runs through to 2021, suggesting a loan is the more likely move.

Earlier this week, Jeff Paulus revealed that the club had signed an agency to represent FC Edmonton players overseas with the goal to secure loan and training moves for players during the long Canadian offseason. At the moment, it appears multiple of such moves are in the works through this partnership.

If Ongaro’s move to Denmark is a loan, however, it’s unclear when the striker could be coming back: Paulus revealed that most foreign clubs are seeking loan moves that run until June, which certainly lines up with the Danish season – for instance, the SuperLiga is scheduled to run beyond March (including the postseason), which means that Ongaro may be asked to say until June. This means he wouldn’t arrive back to the Eddies until midway through the potential 2021 Canadian Premier League season.

The clubs want them there for a long period of time. You almost have to accept a loan until June, and that’s a very difficult thing because if we have a normal season then a player is lost to us for part of the spring season and the salary cap is gone, and they’re also a spot on our roster. That does pose some challenges, but we’re trying to overcome it and certainly going forward we hope that we have a nice relationship here to get our players opportunities.

Jeff Paulus

Of course, Ongaro’s likely destination lies outside of the Danish top flight. There’s more than one Canadian plying their trade on loan over there, with Toronto FC having loaned Noble Okello and Rocco Romeo to Danish First Division side HB Koge.

Since details regarding Ongaro’s jump to Denmark have not yet been disclosed, it’s not immediately clear what is in the works for the top Eddies striker. An early lead suggests Danish First Division side Vendsyssel FF may be his destination, but this could not be confirmed.

Ongaro has been a key figure for FC Edmonton ever since making his professional debut for the side last year following a short trial with Al Classico rivals Cavalry FC. The 22-year-old has scored 13 goals in 29 appearances for the Eddies, with three of them coming from his seven appearances at The Island Games.

His sharp form earned him a call up to the Canadian provisional roster for the Olympic Qualifiers before they were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Fans can expect more player movement of this type to come, with York9 FC already loaning Nicholas Hamilton to Dundee FC, Cavalry FC’s Jose Escalante playing in Honduras, and Jose Galan spending his offseason in Spain before a planned return to Valour FC.

FC Edmonton has yet to comment on Easton Ongaro’s move to Denmark, which fans of the club will certainly be hoping comes in the shape of a loan – especially given the club’s history with goalscoring issues.