VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps have signed Belgian centre back Joedrick Pupe from F.C.V. Dender, the MLS club announced Thursday.
The 28-year-old is under contract through 2027, with a club option for 2028.
Pupe captained Dender to promotion to Belgium’s top tier and was named to the Challenger Pro League Team of the Season.
He had five assists in 64 appearances across all competitions for Dender.
"We are in a position to compete for trophies this season, so our goal this window was to provide more options to (coach Jesper Sorensen) and the team," Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster said in a release. "Joedrick is an athletic, technical, left-footed defender who fits our aggressive style of play. 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’s arrival comes at a key moment for Vancouver, who have lost two veteran defenders to season-ending injuries — centre back Ranko Veselinović (ACL) and left back Sam Adekugbe (Achilles).
The signing is pending a medical, visa, work permit and international transfer certificate.
The move came on the same day the Whitecaps transferred Norwegian centre back Bjorn Inge Utvik to Sarpsborg 08 FF in his native country.
The Whitecaps host St. Louis City SC on Saturday.
German star Thomas Muller is expected to make his second appearance for Vancouver after having a goal disallowed for offside in his MLS debut last Sunday, a 1-1 draw with Houston.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2025.
The Canadian Press
