TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Extension
Vancouver Whitecaps FC have signed center back Ranko Veselinović to a contract extension through the 2026 MLS season, with an option for 2027, the club announced Wednesday.
The 24-year-old Serbian international is in his fourth season with Vancouver after arriving on loan from Serbian SuperLiga club FK Vojvodina in Feb. 2020 before making a permanent move later that year.
"I feel at home here in Vancouver,” Veselinović said in a statement. “The entire club and all the supporters have been very welcoming since I arrived and I'm excited to extend my stay here at Whitecaps FC. The goal is to continue to build on our strong performances and results in league and cup play, secure a spot in the playoffs, and ultimately win an MLS Cup for this city."
Veselinović is one of Vancouver's defensive anchors, starting 101 of his 109 appearances across all competitions, with four goals and three assists. He's helped lead the club to consecutive Canadian Championship titles in 2022 and 2023.
Since his arrival in MLS, Veselinović ranks sixth in the league in both clearances (447) and blocks (83) during the regular season and is one of four players in the league to record at least 400 clearances.
“Ranko has made tremendous strides since joining our club in 2020 and has been a staple in our backline over the last three plus years,” Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster said. “Still only 24 years old, Ranko has already played more than 100 games for our club, 15th most in our MLS era. We are pleased that we were able to reach an agreement and we now look forward to seeing him continue his growth as a leader in our group on and off the pitch as he helps us achieve our goals for this year and beyond.”
The Whitecaps, who also extended the contract of defensive midfielder Andrés Cubas last month, are seventh in the Western Conference with 31 points from 22 matches at the Leagues Cup pause of the regular season.
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