York United Adds Canadian Striker Mamadou Kane

Canadian Premier League side York United has signed young Canadian striker Mamadou Kane to a two-year deal with a club option for an additional season.

Like YUFC midfielder Cedric Toussaint, the 18-year-old striker arrives from the CF Montreal Academy system. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, he received a call-up to the Canada U-17 squad for the 2019 World Cup in Brazil, where he featured in all three matches.

Having played a big role in the club’s acquisition of plenty of domestic talent, Club President Angus McNab was understandably excited about Kane’s arrival:

Mamadou is a very talented and exciting young player. We are excited he has chosen the club and we look forward to seeing him join his new teammates in the new year.

Angus McNab

The youngster will be hoping he can replicate the success of Woobens Pacius, who landed in the CPL this year and made an immediate impact with eight goals from 21 appearances.

Kane described his decision to join the Nine Stripes as an easy one, especially given the club’s track record with developing young talent. York United handed over 9,000 minutes of gametime to domestic U-21 players last season, with Max Ferrari earning a nomination for the CPL’s U-21 Player of the Year Award.

I would like to thank all those who gave me the strength to keep pushing, especially my family and my agent Serge Epoh. I would also like to thank CF Montreal for the four wonderful years I have spent with them.

The 18-year-old becomes the first offseason recruit for York United ahead of the 2022 Canadian Premier League season. The club is expected to release a roster update ahead of Christmas, with Jim Brennan’s successor expected to be named early into the new year.

While striker Lowell Wright is set to return, it remains to be seen if international forwards Alvaro Rivero, Julian Ulbricht, Osvaldo Ramirez, and Nicholas Hamilton will remain. Lisandro Cabrera is expected to belatedly arrive after missing the previous season due to travel restrictions.

The 2021 CPL season saw York United reach playoffs for the first time, though the club fell to a 3-1 loss to Forge FC in the semi-final.