The Vancouver Whitecaps' widely-rumoured acquisition of Canadian forward Lucas Cavallini appears to be reaching its conclusion.
ESPN's Jeff Carlisle reported Friday that the Whitecaps have agreed to pay a $6 million transfer fee to purchase Cavallini's rights from Mexican club Puebla and that they have come to terms on a four-year contract with the 26-year-old attacker.
Reports surfaced in recent weeks that Cavallini could join a Vancouver club that is firmly in rebuild mode following a disappointing campaign that saw the team finish dead last in the Western Conference with just eight wins. The Whitecaps' woes extended to goal scoring, where they were also last in the west with 37 goals in 34 games.
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Cavallini would be expected to help immediately alleviate Vancouver's offensive problems, as he poured in 30 goals in 81 total games for a bad Puebla team since moving to Mexico in 2017. Internationally, Cavallini has 11 goals in 17 appearances for Canada, most recently scoring the insurance marker against the United States in a 2-0 victory in his hometown of Toronto on Oct. 15.
MAKE IT TWO.
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) October 16, 2019
Lucas Cavallini with the STATEMENT FINISH to put @CanadaSoccerEN up by two. Thanks very much 👍
🇨🇦 #CANMNT 2 - 0 #USMNT 🇺🇸#CNLxOneSoccer | #CANvsUSA | #CNL pic.twitter.com/5ibIsJydxS
Nicknamed "El Tanque" for his muscular build and bull-in-a-china-shop style of play, Cavallini has never played professionaly in his home country. The striker signed his first pro deal at 19 in Uruguay with Nacional and has also featured for Uruguayan clubs Fenix and Penarol. He initially joined Puebla on loan from Penarol in Aug. 2017 before signing a permanent deal in June 2018.