VANCOUVER, BC - He’s a keeper.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC have retained another building block on Tuesday, as the club announced that Canadian international goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau has signed a new contract through 2022, with an option for 2023.
Crepeau is the second key player in recent weeks to extend his commitment to Whitecaps FC for at least the next two-plus seasons. Ali Adnan agreed to a new contract through 2021, with an option for 2022, earlier this month.
Whitecaps FC goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau
- 18 MLS appearances with 4.06 saves per game and a 70.9 save percentage, second and tied for sixth among keepers with 15 or more starts
- Clean sheets versus LAFC, Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders FC, and Minnesota United FC
- MLS Team of the Week selections following Week 11 vs. Portland Timbers, and Week 12 vs. Atlanta United FC and at Sporting Kansas City
- 94 appearances for club and country
"Since the first day that Max arrived in Vancouver, he has been very focused on improving all aspects of his game and he has earned this opportunity,” said Whitecaps FC head coach Marc Dos Santos. "He has come up big for us, and he continues to show the commitment that you need to succeed in MLS. This season has allowed us to evaluate how we want to play and identify what we can build on, and this move is one of many that we felt was important to continue reshaping our club.”
Crépeau, 25, has had an impressive start to his Whitecaps FC career after arriving from Montreal Impact via trade in December 2018. In his first season seeing regular MLS minutes, he has risen to the test against some of the toughest competition, collecting clean sheets against league leaders Los Angeles Football Club, Cascadia rivals Seattle Sounders FC and Portland Timbers, and most recently last Saturday at Minnesota United FC. In addition to his shutout performance against Portland, Crépeau was also selected to the MLS Team of the Week following strong outings versus Atlanta United FC and at Sporting Kansas City.
“I’m proud to be part of the club’s vision, and I'll give my best to play at the highest standard and bring the logo, the badge, to a place it hasn’t been before,” said Crépeau. “My wife and I have fallen in love with Vancouver. I’ve made a connection with the fans in this city and it’s a special opportunity to be playing for them for years to come.”
He has made 18 appearances in the 2019 MLS regular season, tallying 4.06 saves per game and a 70.9 save percentage, second and tied for sixth among keepers with at least 15 starts, respectively.
In Canadian Championship competition, Crépeau recorded a road clean sheet against Cavalry FC in their Qualifying Round 3 series opener.
Hailing from Candiac, Quebec, Crépeau has 94 appearances for club and country, including previous stops at Montreal Impact and Ottawa Fury FC, and call-ups to the Canadian men’s national team in the last two Concacaf Gold Cup tournaments.
“Max came to this club with an opportunity, he has taken his opportunity, and now it’s very important he continues to grow,” added Whitecaps FC goalkeeper coach Youssef Dahha, who has coached Crépeau for over a decade. “Max, along with Zac (MacMath), Sean (Melvin), and Thomas (Hasal) work extremely hard as a collective unit and each day they push each other to be better.”
Whitecaps FC are back in action this weekend when they visit FC Cincinnati at Nippert Stadium on Saturday, August 3. Kickoff is at 5 p.m. PT live on TSN4 and TSN Radio 1040. They are back at BC Place on Saturday, August 17 versus D.C. United. Visit whitecapsfc.com for ticket information.
TRANSACTION: Goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau agreed to a new contract through 2022, with an option for 2023 on Tuesday, July 30, 2019.
