VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Friday that the club has signed midfielder Alphonso Davies to a multi-year contract as a Homegrown Player. The contract is guaranteed through 2018 with options for 2019 and 2020.
At 15 years and 256 days, the Whitecaps FC Residency product and resident of Edmonton, Alberta becomes the youngest active player in MLS and third all-time youngest player to sign an MLS contract. Davies will be eligible for selection on Saturday against Orlando City SC (7 p.m. PT on TSN 1/4 - limited tickets available).
Whitecaps FC midfielder Alphonso Davies
- Youngest active player in MLS; third all-time youngest player
- First Whitecaps FC 2 player to sign with first team
- Has represented Canada at the U-15, U-18, and U-20 levels
- Made four appearances, including two starts, in the 2016 Amway Canadian Championship
- Joined Whitecaps FC Residency in August 2015
"Alphonso is a bright young player who has earned this opportunity," said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. "He still has a lot of hard work ahead of him, but at this point in time we felt this was the best move for his development and for the club. This is another great example of our player pathway and we hope he will be the first of many WFC2 players to make the next step."
Davies is the seventh Homegrown player on the current Whitecaps FC roster and the first Whitecaps FC 2 player to sign with the first team.
He became the youngest player to appear, and start, in a first-team match for the club in last month's Amway Canadian Championship, where he received short-term call-ups to play in all four matches.
- READ: Who is Alphonso Davies?
"This is a dream come true," said Davies. "I've grown so much since joining the Residency program last year, and have continued to learn from the first-team players and coaching staff. Coming to Vancouver was the best decision of my life. I'm so thankful to the club for having faith in me and I can't wait to get started in MLS."
The 5-foot-10, 155-pound midfielder participated in the 2016 preseason training camp with the first team, appearing in all three matches at the 2016 Desert Friendlies and tallying a game-winning assist against Houston Dynamo on February 9.
Born in Liberia and raised in Edmonton, Davies has spent most of the 2016 season with WFC2, the club's United Soccer League team. He opened his professional account versus then top-ranked LA Galaxy II on May 15 to earn a Team of the Week selection, setting a new USL record for youngest player to score a goal in league history.
In the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, Davies scored six goals in 12 appearances for Whitecaps FC Residency U-16 during the 2015-16 season. In addition, he also featured for the club's U-18 side, scoring three goals in four matches.
A permanent resident of Canada, Davies has been called up three times to Canada's U-15 national team, and once to the U-18 national team in October 2015. He was also called up to the Canada U-20 camp in March 2016, starting in their 2-1 friendly win over England in Doncaster.
In his youth, Davies played for Edmonton Internationals and Edmonton Strikers, before moving to Vancouver in August 2015 to join the club's Residency program.
Alphonso Davies
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-10
Weight: 155 pounds
Date of Birth: November 2, 2000 in Monrovia, Liberia
Hometown: Edmonton, Alberta
Citizenship: Liberia, Canada (permanent resident)
Status: Domestic, Homegrown
Youth Club: Edmonton Internationals, Edmonton Strikers, Whitecaps FC Residency
How Acquired: Signed as an MLS Homegrown Player on Friday, July 15, 2016
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