The Vancouver Whitecaps will hold a press conference at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning to make what the team calls a "major player announcement." With the transfer window nearly open, the focus for many MLS teams is incoming players at the moment, with designated players and high-profile additions at the top of the wish list. In that regard, it would make sense that the Whitecaps are holding a press conference to announce a new designated player to go along with Eric Hassli.
So the question is who -- something many Vancouver fans, and fans of Cascadia teams, are wondering at the moment. On Twitter, I took an educated guess, floating the name of Joseph Yobo, a centreback and captain of the Nigerian National Team. It makes sense, at least when connecting the dots.
Colin Udoh, a Nigerian football reporter, has been teasing a player announcement for the better part of the last week, telling his followers on Twitter that an announcement was forthcoming concerning the first African designated player in MLS. On Monday, he added this:
African DP press conference is 9am 2moro on Western Conference. Captains his national team
Coincidentally, or perhaps not, the Whitecaps press conference is taking place at 9 a.m. So which national team captain could it be? Considering Udoh covers the Nigerian National Team, it would also make sense that the player in question originates from the team he covers. His assertion that the player is the national team's captain, whatever national team that may be, also narrows it down quite a bit.
All things considered, I'm inclined to believe the Whitecaps next designated player is Yobo. It's not fact, nor laid in stone, but is my own educated guess based on the reasons listed above. We'll find out for sure on Tuesday morning as the Whitecaps announce a new addition to their franchise.