Klaidi Cela Returns To Forge On Short-Term Deal

Like many other Canadian Premier League sides, Hamilton-based team Forge FC is carrying several injuries. As a result, the club has just announced that it has re-signed defender Klaidi Cela as a short-term replacement player, making him available for tonight’s 905 Derby.

While the league has refrained from using ‘short term replacement player’ as a general term, it likely means that Klaidi returns on type of contract that lends the side some roster flexibility, like an emergency goalkeeper.

The defender has spent the previous two seasons with Forge, but suffered a season-ending knee injury last year against Halifax that required surgical treatment. He had made twelve appearances for Forge over the previous two seasons, one of which came in the Concacaf League and one in the Canadian Championship. His lone professional goal came against FC Edmonton in 2019.

The defender – who had previously developed with the likes of Toronto FC, Sigma, and Portuguese side GD Gafanha – returned to Sigma FC earlier this year, where he has already appeared alongside Forge familiar Kadell Thomas. With Forge needing more numbers at the back, however, the 22-year-old now finds himself recalled to professional action on a short-term contract of undisclosed length.

The Sigma-to-Forge pipeline has been in full swing over the last month or so, with the club adding no less than five additional players from the League1 Ontario side.

He won’t be the only defender made quickly available for tonight’s 905 Derby, with York United’s Dominick Zator seeing a red card suspension uplifted following review from the Canada Soccer Disciplinary Committee.

The reigning champions aren’t the only team in the midst of an injury crisis. If Cavalry didn’t add two players of its own this week, the club’s bench in yesterday’s Al Classico would have only had one goalkeeper and two outfield players for the Alberta-based derby.

Forge FC did not elaborate on the details of Cela’s short-term contract. The match at Tim Hortons Field will kicks off at 7:00PM EST.