Whitecaps FC add homegrown players Marco Bustos and Kianz Froese

‘Caps have now signed 11 all-time homegrown players

bustosVANCOUVER Whitecaps FC announced Monday the addition of Residency attacking midfielders Marco Bustos and Kianz Froese as the club’s 10th and 11th all-time Homegrown player signings. Per Major League Soccer and club policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed.

Whitecaps FC midfielder Marco Bustos

  • Made first-team debut on May 7, 2014 vs. TFC in the Amway Canadian Championship
  • 2013 Whitecaps FC Most Promising Player
  • Runner-up for 2012 Canadian U-17 Player of the Year
  • Started two of three matches for Canada at 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup
  • Scored 38 goals in 59 matches with Vancouver’s U-18 side in the USSDA

froeseWhitecaps FC midfielder Kianz Froese

  • Made first-team debut on May 7, 2014 vs. TFC in the Amway Canadian Championship
  • Earned first call-up to Canadian senior men’s national team in September 2013
  • Started all three matches for Canada at 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup
  • Scored 15 goals in 46 matches with Whitecaps FC U-18 in the USSDA
  • Scored four goals in seven matches with Whitecaps FC U-23 during 2014 USL PDL season

“There’s a progression here at this club that if you do well in the Residency program then there will be an opportunity to come in to the first team,” said Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson. “This is a thoroughly justified reward for these two players after their hard work over the last several years. They will both bring a youthfulness and energy that will be beneficial to the team.”

Bustos, 18, has signed a pre-contract with Whitecaps FC and will officially be added to the club’s MLS roster in January. The native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, made his professional debut with Whitecaps FC on May 7, 2014, starting and playing 64 minutes in the first leg of the Amway Canadian championship semifinal series against Toronto FC.

Having joined the residency program in 2011, Bustos won the club award for Most Promising Player following the 2013 season. During his time with Whitecaps FC U-18, Bustos has scored 38 goals while starting 52 of his 59 appearances in the United States Soccer Development Academy (USSDA). Prior to moving up to the U-18 squad, Bustos scored five goals while starting 19 of 32 matches with Whitecaps FC U-16. With the U-23 squad in 2014, the young playmaker started five of his seven appearances and scored four goals in the United Soccer Leagues (USL) Premier Development League (PDL).

Internationally, Bustos has represented Canada at the U-17 level. In 2013, the Canadian midfielder started all five matches at the CONCACAF Men’s U-17 championship, helping Canada qualify for the FIFA U-17 World Cup while also scoring a goal against Panama in the semifinals. At the subsequent U-17 World Cup, Bustos appeared in all three of Canada’s matches, starting twice.

“It’s an honour to sign my first professional contract with the club that has supported me and shown belief in me throughout my development,” said Bustos. “I want to thank my family and friends and all the Whitecaps FC coaches and staff who have helped me achieve my dream.”

Froese, 18, will be added to the active roster effective immediately and will be eligible to play during the remainder of the 2014 MLS season. Froese made his Whitecaps FC first-team debut this year in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship semifinal series against Toronto FC, starting and playing 77 minutes.

Since joining the Residency program in 2012, Froese has started 40 of his 46 appearances and scored 15 goals for Whitecaps FC U-18 in the USSDA. With Whitecaps FC U-23 in the USL PDL, Froese has started 10 of his 15 appearances and scored five goals.

Internationally, Froese was called into Canada’s senior men’s national team camp for the first time in September 2013 and again this past January, scoring a goal during a friendly match against Fort Lauderdale Strikers. At the youth level, Froese was recently called up to the Canadian U-20 national team, helping Canada to a second place finish at the Dale Farm Milk Cup in Northern Ireland. In 2013, the talented midfielder started all three matches for Canada at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates. Froese, who was born in Havana, Cuba, and spent time in both Cuba and his hometown of Brunkild, Manitoba, in his youth, was a member of Cuba’s U-17 national team back in 2011.

“Since I was little, I always said that I wanted to be a professional soccer player,” said Froese. “Today, finally I’m achieving that dream. I am thankful to my family, friends, and all of my coaches who have supported me the whole way through.”

Bustos and Froese join Sam Adekugbe, Bryce Alderson, Marco Carducci, Caleb Clarke, Ethen Sampson, andRussell Teibert as current Homegrown players on the club’s MLS roster.

Marco Bustos
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-06
Weight: 150 pounds
Date of Birth: April 22, 1996, in Winnipeg, Manitoba
Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
Citizenship: Canada, Italy
Status: Domestic, Homegrown
Youth Club: FC Northwest
How Acquired: Signed to an MLS pre-contract on Monday, September 15, 2014

Kianz Froese
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-09
Weight: 170 pounds
Date of Birth: April 16, 1996, in Havana, Cuba
Hometown: Brunkild, Manitoba
Citizenship: Canada, Cuba
Status: Domestic, Homegrown
Youth Club: Portage Trail
How Acquired: Signed to an MLS contract on Monday, September 15, 2014