UPDATE (April 28, 10:45 pm ET) – Vancouver Whitecaps FC have officially acquired Paraguayan defensive midfielder Andres Cubas from French club Nimes, the club announced Thursday. Cubas will be a Designated Player and signed a four-year contract through June 2026 with an option to extend through the end of the 2026 season.
MLSsoccer.com first reported the Whitecaps were closing in on Cubas earlier this month.
“We identified Andrés as one of our top targets during the offseason and actively started our pursuit in December. He is a ball-winning defensive midfielder, who will be key in organizing our midfield as he brings experience, leadership and maturity to our young group,” CEO and sporting director Axel Schuster said in a release. “We have started the visa process and hope to have him available as soon as possible. We are very excited to welcome Andrés and his family to Vancouver.”
Cubas, 25, is a product of the Boca Juniors academy and made 21 appearances in Ligue 2 this season with Nimes following the club's relegation last year, when he made 27 appearances in the top flight. Prior to joining the French side, Cubas made 51 appearances with CA Talleres in Argentina.
“I'm extremely happy to be a part of Vancouver Whitecaps FC,” said Cubas. “I'm excited to arrive in Vancouver, get to know my teammates, and help the team wherever needed. I will do my very best to bring joy to the club and all the supporters."
On the international stage, Cubas has earned nine caps for Paraguay and featured in three World Cup Qualifiers and at the Copa América 2021 tournament. He joins the likes of Houston Dynamo FC forward Sebastian Ferreira and Chicago Fire FC midfielder Gaston Gimenez as Los Guaraníes players in MLS.
ORIGINAL (April 13, 1:22 pm ET) – Vancouver Whitecaps FC are in advanced talks to sign Paraguayan defensive midfielder Andres Cubas from French club Nimes, sources tell MLSsoccer.com.
The deal is not done, but it's close. Reports in France suggest the transfer fee is $3.25 million (€3 million).
The deal would be structured so that Cubas could either be a Designated Player or bought down with allocation money. The Whitecaps have an open DP spot, but can only fill it with a Young DP or a player able to be bought down with allocation money due to the club having three U22 Initiative players (Pedro Vite, Caio Alexandre and Deiber Caicedo).
Club, international background
Cubas, 25, is a product of the Boca Juniors academy and has made 21 appearances in Ligue 2 this season with Nimes following the club's relegation last year, when he made 27 appearances in the top flight. Prior to joining Nimes, Cubas made 51 appearances with CA Talleres in Argentina.
On the international stage, Cubas has earned nine appearances for Paraguay and featured in three World Cup Qualifiers and at the Copa América 2021 tournament. He'd join the likes of Houston Dynamo FC forward Sebastian Ferreira and Chicago Fire FC midfielder Gaston Gimenez as Los Guaraníes players in MLS.
Fit in Vancouver's roster
Cubas is a ball-winning defensive midfielder, a spot the Whitecaps have been looking to upgrade or add competition to, per sources. Alexandre, more of a deep-lying playmaker in the midfield, is yet to make his 2022 debut as he continues to find fitness and match readiness following an injury last year. Sebastian Berhalter, Russell Teibert and Leonard Owusu are other natural options in the midfield behind the attack-minded Ryan Gauld and Vite.
The Whitecaps have endured a slow start to the 2022 campaign, picking up four points from their first six matches under Vanni Sartini, who was named full-time head coach after a playoff-sparked run as interim manager at the end of 2021.
Gauld and forward Lucas Cavallini are the club's two DPs currently. Cubas could be the third if Vancouver get the deal over the line and choose to categorize him as such.
