Beware Canada and look out CONCACAF: MLS’s Vancouver Whitecaps FC have just inked Scotland’s high-flying international midfielder Stuart Armstrong to a ‘Designated Player’ contract through 2026, the team announced earlier this September. According to what’s also called ‘The Beckham Rule,’ MLS teams are allowed three players outside their normal salary caps. This gives North American franchises the ability to vie for global stars in international transfer markets.
The Scot Armstrong, 32, became a free agent after his goals and inspired play helped the Southampton FC Saints claw their way back to the English Premier League (EPL) from League One. Stuart will complete the DP threesome in Vancouver as he lines up with fellow Scotsman Ryan Gauld and Paraguayan international Andrés Cubas.
Fellow Scot Gauld Tempts Armstrong
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In fact, it was Gauld who first made efforts to contact Armstrong to relay the club’s interest. Stuart was close to finishing his contract with Southampton. “When he first came into Dundee United, he was so young. I was a little bit older than him, maybe three or four years,” Armstrong recalled at his introductory press conference with the Caps.
“I always remember him being quite quiet, but obviously on the pitch, he was unbelievable. The brightest star at that time in the Scottish league. He left to Sporting Lisbon relatively quickly, so our time together was only that short year.
“You talk, you see each other sometimes in Scotland, but obviously, as time goes and you have different clubs, you drift apart. So, I’m looking forward to reconnecting with him, and I’m sure he’s a little bit louder these days,” Armstrong joked about Gauld, as reported by J.J. Adams of The Province.
Armstrong Creates Elite Chances
“We are very excited to welcome Stuart and his family to Vancouver,” Whitecap sporting director Axel Schuster enthused in a release. “He is a player who has excelled for many years at the highest levels in the United Kingdom, as well as internationally with Scotland. He brings experience, tactical awareness, positional flexibility, and a very high work rate.
“In addition, his passing range and elite chance creation from the midfield position will add another dimension to our team’s overall attack.” Let’s hope that the other Vancouver Whitecaps FC strikers are ready to latch onto and convert those elite chances.
Stuart’s Experience as A Winner
Armstrong has scored 74 goals to go with 75 assists in 508 pro appearances during his seasons at Southampton, Scottish juggernaut Celtic FC, and boyhood idols Dundee United. He racked up eight titles while at Celtic in Glasgow and routinely featured in the UEFA Champions League. Stuart managed five goals in 51 international appearances, picking up four caps for Scotland during the 2020 and 2024 UEFA European Championships.
“Stuart Armstrong is a goal-scoring machine, chance creator, and a true winner on the pitch,” the Whitecaps warned all comers on X.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC Hunt for Trophies
Before signing Armstrong, the Whitecap strike force was led by Gauld (9g/10a), forward Brian White (12g/2a), and winger Fafá Picault (8g/4a) whose parents immigrated from Haiti to New York. With only nine regular-season games left, Vancouver sits in fifth in the Western Conference (with 41 points). They look forward to a third Audi MLS Cup Playoffs trip in the past four years under head coach Vanni Sartini.
The Vancouver Whitecaps FC are now honing in on a Canadian Championship three-peat as well. The Caps host Toronto FC in the September 25 final. Rival CF Montréal has already fallen by the wayside. The winner marches on to the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Even though this sparkling Pac Northwest port may not have the same clout on the world soccer stage as Glasgow, fans hope Armstrong has found a new home. They expect he´ll soon be banging the ball into the back of the net often for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
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