February 16, 2024 – Canadian Premier League (CPL) – Vancouver FC News Release
Langley, BC – Vancouver FC today announced the signing of Mexican international José Navarro on a two-year contract plus club options, which could keep the forward with the Eagles through 2027.
“I am very excited to join Vancouver and play a part in growing this club,” said Navarro. “Having the opportunity to play professional soccer in a top-tier league is something that is very important to me and I’m looking forward to the competition I’ll face in this new chapter.”
Navarro, who will celebrate his 21st birthday on Tuesday, Feb. 20, joins VFC from Mexico’s UNAM Pumas. The forward has spent the entirety of his career to date with Pumas, after joining the club’s development system at the age of 13 and moving through its ranks over the past seven years.
Navarro made his debut with Pumas’ senior team in Liga MX, Mexico’s top flight of football, when he came on as a late substitute in a match against Club Necaxa in July 2022. He has since featured for the club’s U-20 and U-23 sides in 27 matches, scoring three goals. Other highlights of his time with Pumas include scoring an impressive half-field goal in a 5-0 victory over Mazatlàn U20 in July 2022, winning the Sub-20 Aperture championship in October 2022, and burying a game-winning penalty shot in injury time against Atlas U23 in November 2023, an emphatic way to score his first goal of the campaign.
“Navarro’s physical power, work rate, and presence in the penalty box will make him one of the most exciting young strikers in the Canadian Premier League,” said Afshin Ghotbi, Head Coach, Vancouver FC. “A product of one of the best football clubs in Mexico, UNAM Pumas, Navarro possesses the qualities to complement Alejandro Díaz and company to make VFC a goal-dangerous team in the 2024 season.”
Navarro will join Vancouver’s squad for pre-season training in Langley ahead of the Eagles’ second CPL campaign.
Navarro and Ghotbi will be made available to the media via ZOOM on Tuesday, Feb. 20. More information about the virtual press conference will be announced in the coming days.
Further Vancouver roster announcements will be made later this month.
Vancouver FC current roster as of Feb. 16, 2024:
Goalkeepers: Callum Irving
Defenders: Kadin Chung, Rocco Romeo, Tyler Crawford, Anthony White, James Cameron, Paris Gee, David Norman
Midfielders: Elliot Simmons, Ben Fisk, Vasco Fry, Renan Garcia, Grady McDonnell
Forwards: Alejandro ‘Wero’…
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