Toronto FC Signs Pacific Original Kadin Chung

Kadin Chung’s trial with Toronto FC has landed the right-back a multi-year deal with the MLS side, with the reds signing him on a two-year contract that includes options for 2024 and 2025.

“Kadin has had a good preseason and has earned a spot on our roster,” said head coach Bob Bradley of his new full-back, “he’s coming off a very good season in the CPL with Pacific FC and we think Kadin is going to continue to improve and give us some depth at the right back position.”

The 23-year-old makes the jump after establishing himself as a league-leading right back at the Canadian Premier League level. His three seasons with Pacific FC saw the defender make over 63 appearances across all competitions, providing a crucial link in the club’s fluid-counter attacking style of play.

He departs the Canadian Premier league as a champion, having helped the Tridents where he earned a North Star Shield last season.

Former Pacific FC head coach Pa-Modou Kah has long-said that the youngster was knocking on the doorstep of the national team, with the right-back leading Pacific in tackles won and interceptions last season. While he’s proven to be solid at the back, he also plays a big role in delivering the ball up the right flank and has formed a strong connection with star midfielder Marco Bustos.

Chung’s first steps into professional soccer saw him join the Whitecaps Residency program in 2011, with the youngster turning professional in 2015 through USL affiliate Whitecaps FC II. He established himself as a starter at the USL level the following year, and would remain with the side until a move to FC Kaiserslautern in 2018.

He was announced as the first-ever Pacific FC signing near the end of that year, and has proven to be a crucial cog with the west coast side ever since. He’s also earned one cap for the Canada U-23 side, though – as Kah says – he’s close to the doorstep for a senior appearance. His move upwards to MLS heights will certainly help those chances.

He isn’t the only Pacific FC defender to join the MLS side this season, with centre-back Lukas MacNaughton also signing a multi-year deal from the CPL side. Bob Bradley has shown a high willingness to sign domestic talent, even adding former York United assistant coach Paul Stalteri to his coaching staff.

“It can be a scary thing sometimes coming to a new team where you’re not too familiar with people, but having MacNaughton here has helped me settle in,” Chung told CanPL.ca, “especially in training I can have him right beside me in some of the practices. It’s given me a bit of confidence, but he’s also introduced me to a lot of the guys; before I even got into pre-season camp he gave me a rundown of what to expect. I lived with him my two first years at Pacific so I know him quite well now.”

Chung becomes just the third ever CPL athlete to sign an MLS contract, the first being Joel Waterman back in 2019. Unlike Waterman and MacNaughton, however, it appears that Kadin is making the jump up to MLS on a free transfer.

Chung will leave big shoes to fill in the Pacific FC right-back spot, though Kunle Dada-Luke enjoyed a breakout campaign when called upon last season. While the club has added a few new attackers along with centre-back Amer Didic, no new full-back arrivals have been declared thus far.

Toronto FC has signed Kadin Chung on a two-year deal with options for a further two years.