Matteo De Brienne Set For Sweden’s GAIS

Atletico Ottawa left-back Matteo De Brienne has been linked with a move to the Swedish top flight for months now, with Ottleti blocking a summertime move in favour of keeping him in the nation’s capital for the full 2024 CPL season.

Now, however, the 22-year-old has reportedly been sold to Swedish Allsvenskan club GAIS, as per Transfermarkt’s Manuel Veth. This was the same club pursuing the full-back over the summer.

With Atletico Ottawa having triggered Matteo’s option for 2025, the club will get a transfer fee from the sale, which is currently pending based on a medical with his suitors.

That’s an astute piece of business from Atletico Ottawa, who signed him on a free transfer this year despite him having a big contract increase tabled by Valour and a firm offer from Seattle Sounders’ feeder team Tacoma Defiance, too.

His second spell with hometown Ottawa saw him continue to dazzle in CPL circles, with the attack-minded full-back bursting down the flank as he tallied 31 appearances for Atletico Ottawa, notching four assists for the red-and-white.

That came one year after Valour signed him to a professional deal ahead of a CPL U-SPORTS Draft he was expected to go first overall in, with Matteo racking up six goals and three assists in 44 appearances, earning a Best U-21 Canadian Player of the Year award in 2023.

He won’t be the first CPL export to head to Sweden’s top flight, with Marco Bustos having signed with IFK Varnamo back in 2023. Unlike Matteo’s move, however, that came as a free transfer.

GAIS proved to be one of the top teams in Sweden this season, finishing in sixth place. A founding member of the league, the Mackerels endured a yo-yo period of promotions and relegations before back-to-back promotions restored top flight status and teed up a top half finish this year.

There has been a growing amount of CPL transfers to Europe, with Goteh Ntignee earning a league record transfer move to Ligue 2’s FC Annecy in 2023 before Kwasi Poku smashed that record in his move to RWD Molenbeek this year.

Neither Atletico Ottawa nor GAIS have formally confirmed the transfer as of yet, with Matteo’s medical set to take place in the men’s year.