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Forward Jared Ulloa returns to Valour FC after spending last season in Peru

Forward Jared Ulloa is back with Valour FC after spending last season with Cusco FC in his native Peru.
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Forward Jared Ulloa (centre) is shown in action for Valour FC against Pacific FC on August 16, 2021, at IG Field in Winnipeg. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Robert Reyes-Valour FC

Forward Jared Ulloa is back with Valour FC after spending last season with Cusco FC in his native Peru.

The 20-year-old Ulloa, who was born in Peru but holds a Canadian passport, helped Cusco earn promotion to the Peruvian top tier, logging 808 minutes with one goal in 16 appearances.

Ulloa started his career with Peru's Club Sporting Cristal.

In 2021, he was loaned to Valour where he appeared in 23 games in all competitions with one assist in 852 minutes played for the Winnipeg team

In other Canadian Premier League moves, expansion Vancouver FC's roster grew to 10 with the signing of teenage fullback Tyler Crawford.

The 19-year-old played collegiate soccer for Michigan State University last season, leading all freshmen on the team by logging 1,152 minutes. He started 12 matches with one assist.

Crawford was with the Columbus Crew academy prior to Michigan State and was named academy player of the year in 2021.

Born in Burlington, Ont., Crawford grew up in Lutz, Fla. He played for the Canadian under-20 team in two games against Costa Rica in April 2022.

Vancouver coach Afshin Ghotbi called Crawford "one of the most exciting young left backs in North America."

“Tyler has all the qualities, ambition, and potential to reach the highest level of football. We look forward to helping him reach his football dreams,” he added in a statement.

Crawford joins strikers Mamadou Kane, Nathanial St. Louis and Shaan Hundal, midfielders Elliot Simmons and Gabriel Bitar, defenders Rocco Romeo, Marcus Simmons and Kahlil John-Wentworth, and goalkeeper Callum Irving on Vancouver’s roster.

York United FC signed Liberian international defender Brem Soumaoro to a one-year deal plus club options.

The 26-year-old has spent the majority of his career in the Netherlands, having moved there when he was eight. Most recently he was with PAEEK in the Cypriot top flight, making 26 appearances in all competitions.

Before the move to Nicosia, Soumaoro was with MVV Maastricht in the Dutch second tier. He also spent a season with FC Den Bosch, making 14 appearances overall.

He has also played for FC Twente and Go Ahead Eagles in the Netherlands and in Italy for US Livorno in Serie B.

Though born in the Guinean city of Nzerekore and having spent a large chunk of his life in the Netherlands, Soumaoro qualified to play for Liberia through his parents and has won 10 caps.

“There’s a wealth of experience across some very competitive environments in Europe and he’s inching closer towards a decade of pro playing time overall," York coach Martin Nash said in a statement. "For a player in his mid-20s, that’s impressive pedigree. He’s already captained his country and led them into some huge games, which says a lot about his qualities on and off the field.

"As well as being a very strong and capable centre-back, he boasts experience playing slightly higher too. And having some cover in different positions is never a bad thing, especially in our league.”

HFX Wanderers FC have signed Canadian defender Cale Loughrey to a one-year contract with club options for 2024 and 2025.

Loughrey, 21, spent last season with FC Edmonton on loan from Forge FC.

“Cale is a strong, somewhat old-school type of defender with incredible grit and desire that he has displayed in his journey to get here,” Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar said in a statement. “He’s also left-footed, and I expect him to be our best aerial defender, which compliments our current group on the backline.”

The six-foot-three defender from Ajax, Ont., appeared in 25 matches for Edmonton between league play and the Canadian Championship. He also played for Forge in a February CONCACAF Champions League match against Cruz Azul. 

A former Ontario provincial team player, Loughrey started in League1 Ontario with Darby FC and Unionville SC. He was eventually recruited by Gheisar to Seneca College, where he captained the team. That led to a move to the University of Alabama at Birmingham where he made 25 appearances over two seasons.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 2, 2023.

The Canadian Press