Vancouver FC Announces End of Season Roster Changes

On Tuesday morning, Vancouver FC confirmed its 2025 roster details, with various names being up for discussions on whether they will continue for next season or seek pastures new.

Ten players are guaranteed for next season for the Eagles. Defenders Elage Bah, Paris Gee and David Norman Jr, midfielders Ben Fisk, Mikael Cantave, Vasco Fry, Grady McDonnell and TJ Tahid, as well as forward Jose Navarro.

2024 top goalscorer Alejandro Díaz will remain on loan at Vancouver FC from Norwegian side Sogndal Fotball until June 30th, 2025 – a welcome sight after scoring 10 goals for the Eagles last season.

Meanwhile, Vancouver FC hold club options for 11 players in the squad, and have until December 31 to decide whether or not to execute them for next season. Those include goalkeepers Niko Giantsopoulos and captain Callum Irving, defenders Matteo Campagna, Kadin Chung, Anthony White, James Cameron and Tyler Crawford, and midfielders Gabriel Bitar, Renan Garcia, Olivier Rommens and Zach Verhoven.

Out of contract at the end of this year are Allan Enyou, who goes back to C.D. Leganes B after spending 2024 in Vancouver, Joey Buchanan whose developmental contract has finished, and Sebastian Dzikowski whose U-SPORTS contract also expires.

Defensive staple Rocco Romeo’s contract is also up, as well as former York United striker Austin Ricci and the on-loan Pacific FC forward Moses Dyer.

Based on these contract statuses, it will be interesting to see what Head Coach Afshin Ghotbi decides to do. Keeping on captain Callum Irving and defender Rocco Romeo seems like a no-brainer for the Eagles. James Cameron, Kadin Chung, Gabriel Bitar and even Olivier Rommens also seem like players that the Iranian coach will want to keep on, if not to potentially sell on for a decent fee.

Goalkeeper Niko Giantsopoulos did not play a single minute of CPL football in 2024, so it would be surprising to see him stay on, although he is involved in the coaching scene for the U-19s. Similarly, Anthony White and Zach Verhoven barely featured in 2024 after the former impressed in 2023 and the latter came in to much fanfare at the start of last season, so they may be on their way out too.

Campagna, Crawford, Garcia, and Ricci are likely the biggest question marks for 2025, all for differing reasons. Campagna had some good cameos when he was featured and may step up to a bigger role in 2024 with Enyou’s exit. Crawford was lower in the pecking order at full-back for Ghotbi before sustaining a serious injury that prematurely ended his season, so his return may depend on fitness.

Garcia was a massive presence both on and off the field after coming in mid-season last year, but is getting on in age and may choose to hang up his boots after faltering towards the end of 2024. Ricci may or may not decide to remain at Vancouver after a tepid showing for the Eagles at the end of the season, where his biggest highlight was a last-minute miss that gave away to a last-second equalizer versus Halifax Wanderers at the end of last season.

Vancouver FC will want to make sure they make the right decisions this off-season, as they look to make up for this past season’s disappointments and secure their first ever berth into the playoffs in 2025.