Whitecaps deal Julian Gressel after failing to agree contract extension

VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Whitecaps have traded midfielder Julian Gressel to the Columbus Crew in exchange for allocation money.

Whitecaps chief executive officer Axel Schuster says in a release that the team and Gressel had been working on an extension before the player made the decision to move east to be closer to family.

Vancouver will receive US$275,000 in general allocation money in 2023 and 2024 and could also receive an additional $300,000 in conditional allocation money from 2024-26.

Gressel, 29, arrived in Vancouver having primarily played as a wingback before being moved further up the pitch as a right winger.