VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that the club has acquired forward/midfielder Giles Barnes from Houston Dynamo in exchange for general allocation money and right of first refusal to defender Keyner Brown - pending receipt of his international transfer certificate and Canadian work permit.
Giles Barnes – Whitecaps FC forward/midfielder
- 31 goals, 14 assists in 113 MLS regular season appearances
- 2014 Dynamo MVP, Players’ Player of the Year, and leading goalscorer
- Scored in the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup, and CONCACAF Champions League
- Helped two Championship clubs earned promotion to the English Premier League
- 18 appearances with the Jamaican national team (including the Copa América, CONCACAF Gold Cup, and Copa América Centenario) after debuting in March 2015
“Giles is a dynamic offensive player in the prime of his career,” said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. “He knows MLS, has experience at the top levels in England, and is a great character in the locker room. We’re very excited to add him to our group.”
Barnes, who turns 28 next week, joins Whitecaps FC after nearly four years with Houston Dynamo. The London, England native made his debut with the Dynamo in September 2012 and went on to start 108 of his 113 MLS regular season appearances with Houston, recording 31 goals and 14 assists. He also scored a pair of goals in four U.S. Open Cup appearances and played seven matches in the CONCACAF Champions League, where he scored his first goal with the club on September 20, 2012 against CD FAS.
A speedy forward who can also play as an attacking midfielder/winger, Barnes was named Houston’s MVP and Players’ Player of the Year in 2014 after leading the team in goals for the second straight year. Barnes, who was appointed Houston’s captain ahead of the current MLS campaign, has four goals and two assists in 14 appearances so far this season.
Before making the move to North America, Barnes spent eight years in the upper echelons of English soccer, deputing with Derby County at the age of 17.
He scored 10 goals in 84 appearances with the Rams and was named the club’s Young Player of the Year in 2007 after helping them earn promotion to the English Premier League. Among his more notable moments with Derby was a two-goal substitute performance against Manchester United at Old Trafford in the League Cup semifinals in January 2009.
In total, Barnes went on to make 138 appearances in the top two divisions of English soccer, also spending time with West Bromwich Albion – whom he also helped earn promotion to the Premiership – and Doncaster Rovers. That includes 35 matches in the Premier League.
A native of Barking, London, England, Barnes scored seven goals in 12 appearances with England’s U-19s before deciding to represent Jamaica at the senior level as he was eligible through his paternal grandparents. He has three goals in 18 appearances with Jamaica to date, having represented them at the 2015 Copa América, 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup – where they reached the final – and the recent 2016 Copa América Centenario.
Giles Barnes
Position: Forward/Midfielder
Height: 6-02
Weight: 190 pounds
Date of Birth: August 5, 1988 in Barking, London, England
Hometown: London, England
Citizenship: England, Jamaica
Status: Domestic (Green Card)
Previous Club: Houston Dynamo (MLS: 2012-2016)
How Acquired: Acquired from Houston Dynamo in exchange for general allocation money and right of first refusal to defender Keyner Brown on July 30, 2016
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