Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson says there鈥檚 been lots of chatter as the clock ticks down on Major League Soccer鈥檚 transfer window.
That doesn鈥檛 mean any of the moves come easy.
鈥淢anagers tease you because they ask you what you鈥檙e looking for without actually telling you what they want to give up,鈥� Robinson said after Tuesday鈥檚 training session. 鈥漌e鈥檙e all in the same boat. We鈥檙e trying to make moves 鈥� some for various reasons, some for (salary) cap restraint reasons, and others for next-year reasons.
鈥淪ometimes you get (the player you want), sometimes you don鈥檛. We鈥檝e lost out on a few based upon people changing their mind, and that happens.鈥�
"Things are going in the right direction"
鈥� Vancouver Whitecaps (@WhitecapsFC)
Tony Tchani speaking about our current form & upcoming trip to Revs.
The league鈥檚 secondary transfer window closes on Wednesday, with Robinson citing cover for centre backs Kendall Waston and Tim Parker among the areas he might want to beef up heading into a busy portion of the schedule.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to maybe get one or two (players) in, and one or two out,鈥� said the coach. 鈥滻t鈥檚 going to come down to the final few minutes, I believe, but we鈥檝e been working on it for the last few weeks.鈥�
Robinson admitted in June the Whitecaps had conversations about bringing in Canadian international Atiba Hutchinson, but it appears the veteran midfielder will be staying put with Turkish club Besiktas.
If anyone does arrive before the transfer cutoff, Robinson insisted it will be an individual or individuals ready to help the team now as the Whitecaps continue to battle for positioning in the Western Conference playoff chase.
鈥淚 won鈥檛 bring squad players in,鈥� he continued. 鈥滻 want players I think can play some minutes.鈥�
Whitecaps defender Jordan Harvey said there hasn鈥檛 been much talk of the transfer window in the locker-room, but added it鈥檚 something players are always aware of until the deadline passes.
鈥淭hings happen in a phone call. It can happen at any point, 鈥渟aid Harvey, who has been with Vancouver since 2011. 鈥淚鈥檝e actually been paying closer attention to the (European) transfers.
鈥淚t鈥檚 unbelievable the amount of money teams are spending.鈥�
Meanwhile, Canadian international Adam Straith continues to train with Vancouver, but Robinson said at this point it鈥檚 more as a favour to help the 26-year-old defender stay in shape after he parted ways with FC Edmonton of the second-tier NASL.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a good kid. I know Adam well,鈥� Robinson said of the free agent. 鈥滻鈥檓 not sure what鈥檚 next on the agenda for him. Obviously we鈥檙e having a look at him and he鈥檚 having a look at us, but there鈥檚 nothing concrete in that.鈥�
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
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