VANCOUVER, BC – Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced on Monday that the club has loaned midfielder Caio Alexandre to Brazilian Série A side Fortaleza EC through December 31, 2022.
"This move made sense for both Caio and the club," said Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC sporting director. "Caio returns to a league he knows well and his team still has 16 games until the end of the year. After Caio has been unlucky with a few injuries, he now needs to see consistent minutes and we will follow his progress closely."
Alexandre, 23, made five appearances across all competitions this season after recovering from a fifth metatarsal fracture in his left foot and a left hand fracture. In 2021, the midfielder started 11 of his 15 appearances across all competitions for the club, recording one assist.
The native of Duque de Caxias, Brazil was acquired by Vancouver via transfer in March 2021 from Brazilian side Botafogo FR, where he made 46 starts and 50 appearances across all competitions after signing a first team contract in September 2019.
Founded in 1918, Fortaleza EC currently sit 15th in Série A and are based out of the city of Fortaleza, capital of the state of Ceará, Brazil.
With the loan, Whitecaps FC have seven central midfielders on their first team roster in Michael Baldisimo, Sebastian Berhalter, Janio Bikel, Andrés Cubas, Leonard Owusu, Alessandro Schöpf and Russell Teibert.
Alexandre is the fifth Whitecaps FC player on loan, joining Derek Cornelius (Panetolikos FC), David Egbo (Memphis 901 FC), Kamron Habibullah (Pacific FC) and Evan Newton (El Paso Locomotive FC).
TRANSACTION: On August 15, 2022, Whitecaps FC loan midfielder Caio Alexandre to Fortaleza EC through December 31, 2022.
