York9 FC Signs Argentinian Forward Lisandro Cabrera

Canadian Premier League side York9 FC has signed 22-year-old Argentinian centre forward Lisandro Cabrera to a multi-year deal with options for 2022 and 2023.

The international arrival developed with the youth team at Boca Juniors before being signed to Newell’s Old boys two years ago, where he transitioned to the senior team and made his professional debut in the same year.

The youngster from Chaco Province made four appearances for Newell’s Old Boys, with loans to Colombian sides Cucuta Deportivo (where he scored his first professional goal) and Patriotas Boyaca before a final loan stint back in Argentina with second division side Gimnasia y Esgrima last year.

McNab describes the centre-forward as a talent who has the potential to be a star at the Canadian Premier League level:

Lisandro is hungry and has had a football education at two giants of the game in Boca Juniors and Newell’s Old Boys. He brings top-tier experience from both the Argentine Superliga and the Colombian Primera A/Liga Dimayor that will be invaluable. Lisandro is very strong in the air and his hold-up/linking play with his back to goal is excellent. I think that with Lisandro, Julian, Lowell, and Alvaro, we have a talented and exciting group of forwards that offers us a number of different ways to play and should give Jimmy more options for 2021 and beyond.

Angus McNab

No CPL side has publicly rebuilt its roster faster than York9 FC this year, with the Nine Stripes having now filled 19 of its allowed 23 roster spots ahead of the 2021 Canadian Premier League season. Last week saw the side bring in Brazilian talent William Wallace, Impact product Cedric Toussaint, and former Cavalry FC goalkeeper Niko Giantsopoulos.

While the signings have some thick and fast, McNab told us that there was no internal deadline the club was rushing to meet: he was simply identifying talent and bringing them in as opportunities presented themselves.

I think we remain opportunistic [and] react to situations in front of us until the roster composition rules are met. There is no hard, internal deadline to get all business completed by.

Angus McNab

Cabrera becomes the club’s sixth international signing for the 2021 Canadian Premier League season, which sees four new arrivals join returning striker Alvaro Rivero and (eventually) Nicholas Hamilton. While the club had an option on Fugo Segawa, McNab told us last week that the Japanese left-back would not be returning.

York9 FC finished fifth place at The Island Games this year, with McNab stating that the onus was on the club to make changes and improve its league positioning in the forthcoming campaign. Since that time, the club has brought in ten brand new players with the club average age now at just under 22.

McNab noted that while he was happy to have a young squad, they didn’t enter the offseason with the intention of setting a CPL record for the most youthful roster so far.

To be very honest, we’ve never discussed a record or anything like that. We have made an effort to look at younger players and I feel we’ve made some really exciting acquisitions. Having an environment full of youthful, hungry players is something we are all looking forward to.

Angus McNab

It appears that foreign attacking talent will once again lead the line for the Nine Stripes, with Cabrera now due to link up with Spanish and German forwards Alvaro Rivero and Julian Ulbricht as the club seeks to improve upon its low goal tally from the bubble-based tournament.

The club’s youngest-ever signing (Lowell Wright) will also contest for a spot up top, with the teenager having bagged his first professional goal in Charlottetown earlier this year.

York9 FC did not disclose the financial details of Cabrera’s contract.