TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Signing
Left back Luís Martins is back in MLS after signing with Vancouver Whitecaps FC through the 2022 season with club options for 2023-24, the club announced Wednesday.
The Portuguese defender, 29, had one goal and six assists in 55 appearances (51 starts) from 2019-21 while he was at Sporting Kansas City.
“Luís arrives in Vancouver with plenty of MLS experience and has played in some of Europe’s top competitions,” Axel Schuster, Whitecaps FC sporting director, said in a release. “We were looking for options to add to our wingback/fullback group and Luís fit the profile as he has a great work rate and covers a lot of ground. We are very happy to welcome Luís and his family to Vancouver.”
Martins has featured extensively for Portugal’s youth national teams, helping secure a second-place finish at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia. A graduate of Benfica’s famed academy, he’s amassed over 190 professional appearances spanning from Europe to MLS.
Martins joins a Vancouver side looking for an uptick in form, as they sit bottom of the Western Conference standings (1W-6L-1D) heading into Week 10.
