Whitecaps loan Canadian youth international centre back to Atletico Ottawa

OTTAWA – The Vancouver Whitecaps have loaned Canadian youth international Gianfranco Facchineri to expansion Atletico Ottawa of the Canadian Premier League until the end of September.

The 18-year-old centre back from Windsor, Ont., joined the Whitecaps academy in August 2018, playing for the under-17 and under-19 sides, before spending last year with Vancouver’s development squad. Facchineri represented Canada at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup before signing an MLS homegrown contract in January.

“Frankie has shown the right mentality and approach at every training session,” Whitecaps head coach Marc Dos Santos said in a statement Monday. “This loan is a great opportunity for him to continue his development in a competitive atmosphere and we will be following his progress closely.”

Facchineri is the 16th player to officially join Atletico Ottawa.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 6, 2020.