VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Friday that the club has acquired midfielder Felipe Martins, $225,000 of 2018 Targeted Allocation Money (TAM), $275,000 of 2019 TAM, and a 2018 international roster spot from New York Red Bulls in exchange for centre back Tim Parker. As part of the deal, Whitecaps FC will retain a percentage of any future transfer fee if Parker is transferred outside of Major League Soccer.
Felipe will be added to Vancouver's MLS roster pending receipt of his international transfer certificate and Canadian work permit. The 27-year-old midfielder is Vancouver's 11th addition of the offseason as the 'Caps continue preparations for Sunday's season opener against Montreal Impact at BC Place.
"Felipe has consistently proven to be one of the best box-to-box midfielders in Major League Soccer," said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. "He's fiercely competitive, very comfortable on the ball, and creative going forward. We firmly believe he's someone that will make the players around him better and we're delighted to add him to our group in the prime of his career."
“As always, this decision was made in the best interest of our club in the short, medium, and long term,” Robinson added. “We are thankful to Tim for his contributions over the last three seasons and wish him well moving forward.”
Whitecaps FC midfielder Felipe Martins
- 22 goals and 41 assists in 193 MLS regular season appearances
- Has started 30 or more matches and recorded five or more assists in every MLS season he's played
- Won the 2016 MLS Supporters' Shield and the 2013 and 2014 Canadian Championships
- Third most passes into the final third since joining MLS in 2012
- Felipe, 27, is entering his seventh season in Major League Soccer.
The Brazilian spent the last three seasons with New York Red Bulls after beginning his MLS career with Montreal Impact. In total, Felipe has 22 goals and 41 assists in 193 MLS regular season appearances - an average of nearly four goals and seven assists per season.
Notably, Felipe has played 30 or more matches and recorded at least five assists in all six of his MLS seasons. In addition, only two players have made more passes into the final third (Kyle Beckerman and Dax McCarty) than Felipe since he joined MLS in 2012. He finished fifth in that category in 2017 with 383 passes into the final third. Felipe won the MLS Supporters' Shield with New York in 2016 and the Canadian Championship with Montreal in 2013 and 2014, scoring in both tournament finals.
Prior to joining MLS, Felipe started his professional career in Italy before spending four years in Switzerland with FC Winterthur, FC Lugano, and FC Wohlen.
Parker, 25, joined Whitecaps FC as the 13th overall selection in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. In total, the Hicksville, New York native started 96 of his 100 appearances for Whitecaps FC in all official competitions, recording four goals and three assists.
TRANSACTION: Whitecaps FC acquire midfielder Felipe Martins, $225,000 of 2018 Targeted Allocation Money, $275,000 of 2019 Targeted Allocation Money, and a 2018 international roster spot in exchange for defender Tim Parker.
Felipe Martins
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-09
Weight: 150 pounds
Date of birth: September 30, 1990 in Engenheiro Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
Hometown: Engenheiro Beltrão, Paraná, Brazil
Citizenship: Brazil
Status: Domestic (Green Card)
Last club: New York Red Bulls (MLS: '15-'17)
Instagram: @f.lipe8
Twitter: @FeliMartins8
