The Vancouver Whitecaps have traded captain Kendall Waston to FC Cincinnati in exchange for $450,000 of General Allocation Money (GAM), $300,000 of Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) and an international roster spot for 2019, the team announced on Tuesday.
The Whitecaps are also entitled to a percentage of a future fee if FC Cincinnati trades or transfers Waston and could receive $75,000 in GAM for certain performance-based incentives.
This transaction sets an MLS record for most allocation money received in exchange for a single defender in a trade.
“First and foremost, we are thankful to Kendall for his four and a half seasons at the club. Kendall has been an important part of this team,” said Whitecaps coach Marc Dos Santos. “However, we evaluated his desire for a new challenge and what we want from our team moving forward. There was a lot of interest in Kendall from around the league and this move puts the club in a good position as we continue to build the roster for the coming season and beyond.”
This ends a long-standing feud between Waston and the Whitecaps. The Costa Rican international repeatedly stated that he wanted to leave Vancouver following the firing of head coach Carl Robinson in September.
Waston, 30, leaves Vancouver having amassed 137 appearances in all competitions since arriving from Saprissa in 2014. He also helped guide the Whitecapcs to the Canadian Championship in 2015.
FC Cincinnati, MLS’ newest expansion franchise, will begin its inaugural season in 2019.
[relatedlinks]