Whitecaps, defender Veselinovic agree to contract extension

VANCOUVER — Ranko Veselinovic has signed a contract extension with the Vancouver Whitecaps FC through 2026 with a club option for 2027.

The 24-year-old Serbian centre back leads the club in starts (101) and games played (109) since 2020.

Veselinovic is also one of four MLS players with at least 400 clearances and 80 blocks since 2020.

"Ranko has made tremendous strides since joining our club in 2020 and has been a staple in our backline over the last three plus years,” Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster said Wednesday in a statement.

"Still only 24 years old, Ranko has already played more than 100 games for our club, 15th most in our MLS era.

"We are pleased that we were able to reach an agreement and we now look forward to seeing him continue his growth as a leader in our group on and off the pitch as he helps us achieve our goals for this year and beyond.”

Veselinovic joined the Whitecaps in February 2020 on a one-year loan from Serbian Superliga club FK Vojvodina. He was later acquired on a permanent transfer.

Veselinovic has also helped the Whitecaps secure back-to-back Canadian Championship titles, starting three matches in the 2022 edition of the tournament and two matches in 2023.

"I feel at home here in Vancouver,” Veselinovic said. "The goal is to continue to build on our strong performances and results in league and cup play, secure a spot in the playoffs, and ultimately win an MLS Cup for this city." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 2, 2023.