Whitecaps add D Joedrick Pupe, transfer D Bjorn Inge Utvik
The Vancouver Whitecaps transferred Bjorn Inge Utvik to Norway's Sarpsborg 08 FF and acquired fellow defender Joedrick Pupe from Belgium's F.C.V. Dender on Thursday.
Utvik, 29, returns to his home country after contributing one goal and two assists in 55 appearances across all competitions since joining Vancouver from Sarpsborg ahead of the 2024 season.
'Bjorn has been an outstanding professional since arriving in Vancouver,' sporting director Axel Schuster said. 'We respect his desire to return home with a young family, and this agreement was made mutually with that in mind. We thank Bjorn for his contributions to the club and wish him all the best for the future.'
Pupe, 28, is under contract with the Whitecaps through 2027 with an option for 2028. He has recorded two goals and eight assists in 121 appearances with clubs across his native Belgium.
Pupe served as captain last year as Dender gained promotion to the Belgian top flight.
'Joedrick is an athletic, technical, left-footed defender who fits our aggressive style of play,' Schuster said. 'He has shown resilience throughout his career, and he brought great character and leadership as captain at Dender. We are looking forward to integrating him into the team.'
Pupe provides critical depth to the Vancouver defense. In addition to Utvik's departure, the club has sustained season-ending injuries to Sam Adekugbe and Ranko Veselinovic.
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Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors It was a need even before Ranko Veselinovic's season was ended last month by an ACL tear. Jesper Sorensen has really been wanting to play three at the back more and now he can set his lineup more easily to do so. And now they've signed two new centre backs and said sayonara to another. In are Joderick Pupe, a Belgian, and Sebastian Schonlau, a German. On his way back to Norway is Bjorn Inge Utvik. Schonlau is signed through 2026 with a club option for 2027, while Pupe is under contract through 2027 with a club option for 2028. Here are five things to know as the MLS transfer deadline closes on Thursday. 1. When will they be ready? It's never easy stepping into a squad that's already at midseason when you're just ramping up your year, as both Pupe and Schonlau will have to do, but here we are. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Schonlau arrived in Vancouver on Wednesday and took part in training on Thursday. Pupe is expected in the next day or two. Both will have to deal with the realities of jet lag, but Jesper Sorensen told Postmedia in an exclusive interview that he was also keen to get them involved. 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'If we wanted to play with three, would be nice to have another left-footed, so we've been looking into that for a while now,' Sorensen explained. Such a set up will allow the team's wing backs — Edier Ocampo, Matias Laborda and Tate Johnson — to play even more aggressively up field. And if the idea is to play Thomas Muller behind two strikers, Brian White and Jayden Nelson or Emmanuel Sabbi, then Sorensen can have Sebastian Berhalter and Andres Cubas sitting in front of the defensive three, with Berhalter now also able to play more aggressively in attack. 5. Leadership Both Pupe and Schonlau were captains of their old clubs. Pupe helped FCV Dender win promotion to Belgium's top league, while Schonlau's Hamburger SV returned to the Bundesliga this past spring. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Their instinctual leadership will be essential to a quick integration into the Whitecaps' squad, the coach believes. 'What we've seen is great character,' Sorensen said of what they saw in both players. 'Both have been captains where they played. They've been competing at a good level and they're experienced players.' Takk, Inge Thank you in Norwegian is 'takk.' Utvik was already going to be heading home this winter, the Whitecaps said. Utvik and his wife Nina welcomed a son, Mathias, in May, a baby brother for daughter Julia. Life is busy and the couple wanted to be closer to family in Norway as it is, so when the chance to sign two centre backs in this transfer window popped up, the club offered to Utvik to send him home a few months early. 'Great player, great guy, very well respected with his teammates, with everybody in this organization,' Sorensen said of the centre back, who joined Vancouver before the 2024 season. 'Great personality. He has left his mark, both on and off the pitch. 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