Koffie gets Canadian permanent residency card, signs extension with Whitecaps

VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Whitecaps have agreed to a contract extension with midfielder Gershon Koffie.

The former Ghanaian under-20 international obtained his permanent residency card from Citizenship and Immigration Canada and will now count as a domestic player for Vancouver in the upcoming Major League Soccer season.

“Gershon has embraced this club, city, and country, and we are very happy for him,” Whitecaps coach Martin Rennie said in a statement. “He is the type of character we want at our club and being only 21, we think he has a big future ahead of him.”

Koffie signed with the Whitecaps on Sept. 3, 2010, for the final matches of the Whitecaps last season in division two. The six-foot, 175-pound central midfielder transitioned with the club to MLS and has since started 57 of his 59 appearances, scoring four goals and adding two assists.

“I’m really glad to become a permanent resident of Canada,” Koffie said. “The fans have been fantastic since I came to Vancouver in 2010. They’ve welcomed me and made this my home. I love this city and I can’t wait to get back on the field.”