The Vancouver Whitecaps made a splash on transfer deadline day by acquiring a pair of defenders in Sebastian Schonlau and Joedrick Pupe. The reinforcements on the back line come after season-ending injuries to Sam Adekugbe and Ranko Veselinovic.
Meanwhile, Norwegian centre back Bjørn Inge Utvik was transferred back to his old club in Norway, Sarpsborg 08, for a transfer fee of $250K.
As the clock ticked down to the close of the MLS secondary transfer window at 10 p.m. on Thursday, Whitecaps CEO and sporting director Axel Schuster spoke to Daily Hive in an exclusive interview about the flurry of activity.
Schonlau is a player who fits their style
Schonlau, a 31-year-old centre back from Germany, arrived in Vancouver on Wednesday and had his first full training session with his new teammates Thursday morning. The 6-foot-1 defender joins Vancouver from his club team in Hamburg, where he captained HSV in over 300 professional appearances, helping them earn promotion to the Bundesliga earlier this year.
“He brings resilience in pressure moments,” Schuster told Daily Hive. “Hamburg was under high pressure to get promoted.
“As a player profile, he’s good on the ball. He’s very good in one-on-one situations, good in the air. He’s a player that fits the style that we have now with a lot of possession and being a team that wants to have the ball and build up from the back.”
Sebastian Schonlau first training session with #VWFC – He will be wearing kit 15.#MLS pic.twitter.com/n2TW66gBwT
— Har Journalist (@HarJournalist) August 21, 2025
The native of Warburg, Germany, is signed through to the end of the 2026 campaign with a club option for 2027. Schonlau is expected to be available for selection on Saturday, when the Whitecaps host St. Louis City SC in front of a big crowd at BC Place.
Given the timing, some have wondered if Thomas Müller’s arrival in Vancouver helped seal the deal for his countryman.
“The decision was made without Müller,” Schonlau told reporters following training on Thursday. “Of course it’s a nice side effect. I’m happy to get to know him. Not only in Germany, but all over the world, he’s a popular guy. He’s reached so many things, and we can just learn from him. I’m happy that he’s joined the club as well.”
Pupe brings versatility
The Whitecaps also added some versatility with the addition of Pupe, who joins Vancouver after captaining FCV Dender in the Belgian Pro League.
Signed through to the end of the 2027 campaign with a club option for 2028, Pupe has made 121 appearances at the professional level.
The 28-year-old’s profile is exactly what Schuster has been looking for.
“I like that he’s a left-footed player who can play left-sided centre back in a back three and left,” Schuster said. “He’s very physical, powerful, fast, very tall and strong in the air. Somebody who is mature and very resilient because he went through some difficult ups and downs in his career to a point where he was almost giving up on his playing career.”
Pupe, who picked up a minor hamstring injury, joined the Whitecaps on Friday. The earliest he could be available is Saturday, Sept. 13, when Vancouver hosts the Philadelphia Union at BC Place.
Utvik going home
Utvik departs the Whitecaps after making 55 appearances across all competitions in parts of two seasons. “The helmet,” as he was affectionately known, had expressed interest in moving back to Norway to raise his family and play for his previous club, Sparsborg 08.
Utvik’s move back to Norway was expected to take place during the MLS offseason, but the additions of Schonlau and Pupe accelerated the process between the two clubs.
“We were sitting down with Bjorn asking where he is, and he said, ‘My club would love to take me right away,’” Schuster said. “They want him to play next Monday. We thought there might be a win-win situation for him going home at a point where it makes most sense for him.”
How about a Bayern friendly?
#VWFC’s Thomas Müller making memories with some fans today.
The young lad with his dad (on his day off) waited four+ hours to meet Müller. #TM13#MLS pic.twitter.com/lHyRuajJkG
— Har Journalist (@HarJournalist) August 22, 2025
Given that Müller is now with the Whitecaps and Alphonso Davies plays for Bayern Munich, an international friendly between the two clubs seems like a natural.
It might be hard to achieve, though.
“I would say for the next 16 months our calendar and the calendar of all clubs are a mess because of the World Cup,” Schuster said. “I don’t think there’s a lot of open windows, so for that reason, we haven’t even started this discussion.”
Hey, we tried.
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