It was once again a busy holiday season across the Canadian Premier League this year. Three clubs in particular were especially active over the holiday break, with Pacific FC, Atlético Ottawa and Forge FC all making significant announcements regarding their rosters for 2025. Here is a quick roundup of what you may have missed over the festive period in the CPL:
RELATED: CPL Off-Season Roster Tracker: Who’s in and who’s out for 2025?
Pacific FC add attacking weapons with Daniels, Kratt
After a season in which the traditionally lethal Tridents scored a league-low 27 goals in 28 matches, adding more attacking talent was unquestionably at the top of their to-do list heading into this off-season. Over the past few weeks, they made big strides toward addressing that, announcing the signings of former York United attacker Ronan Kratt and former Halifax Wanderers midfielder Aidan Daniels. The 21-year-old Kratt returns to Canada after three seasons abroad with Werder Bremen II in Germany. The Canadian youth international played 14 matches for York United back in 2022, scoring twice and has since scored a lot of goals during his time with Bremen — with nine goals and 13 assists in the Bremenliga in 2023-24. Daniels, meanwhile, is a versatile, reliable and technically proficient midfielder who spent the past three seasons with the Halifax Wanderers. He can be played throughout the lineup, which will be helpful for James Merriman and Pacific especially as they have generally deployed a fairly fluid midfield three. Daniels has done his best work in a more attacking role, however, playing largely as a wide midfielder for Halifax in 2023 he picked up three goals and five assists. The Tridents did a lot of their recruiting internationally last off-season, to mixed results. So it is notable with Kratt and Daniels that they bring in two players with a solid amount of Canadian Premier League experience who are proven at this level.
Atlético Ottawa announce the return of multiple key players
With Atlético Ottawa announcing new CEO Manuel Vega in late 2024, the club has quickly gotten to work bringing back several important members of their squad from this past season. Between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, Atleti announced they had signed a new three-year contract for 20-year-old midfielder Gabriel Antinoro, as well as exercising club options on Amer Didić, Sam Salter and signing Alberto Zapater to a new one-year deal. In Didić, they secure the return of one of the league’s top central defenders and an important piece in the team’s spine. Zapater, meanwhile, at 39 brings a wealth of experience and leadership to Ottawa. He proved he can still be effective this year with five goals in all competitions, the most he has ever scored in his 20-year professional career. In Salter, the club brings back a reliable attacking threat who finished tied for second on the club in goal contributions in 2024 with seven (five of which he scored himself). Following the departure of Carlos González, the biggest question that remains to be answered is who will replace the outgoing head coach. That will likely have a big impact on the further incoming signings as the club looks to build around the tactic approach of their new bench boss.
Forge bring back Badibanga, goalkeeper tandem
The CPL regular season champs will be maintaining some of their star power this season, as they announced on Christmas Eve that Béni Badibanga will return to the club for 2025 after they picked up his option. There is no doubt that Badibanga is one of the league’s most dynamic players, and finished third in Players’ Player of the Year voting for a campaign that saw him score four goals and added three assists. Badibanga wasn’t the only player whose option the club picked up over the holidays. Forge also announced that both of their goalkeepers from the 2024 season will be returning next season, with options exercised on Chris Kalongo and Jassem Koleilat, as well as** forward Orlendis Benítez**. Questions remain regarding the future of several key Forge players, with captain Kyle Bekker, CPL Player of the Year Tristan Borges, Player of the Year nominee Alessandro Hojabrpour, defender Garven Metusala and the league’s all-time leading goalscorer Terran Campbell all out of contract. Forge head coach Bobby Smyrniotis told the CPL Newsroom last month that “this was the year where [they’d] have more turnover than every other one”. So it promises to be an intriguing off-season in Hamilton.
Atlético Ottawa youngsters Tyr Walker and Gabi Antinoro training with Atlético San Luis
One last quick hit from the holiday break, Atlético Ottawa announced that a pair of their young players are headed south to Mexico to train with affiliate club Liga MX’s side Atlético San Luis. Gabriel Antinoro and Tyr Walker will spend three weeks with the Mexican club, and get a chance to test themselves against some of the top players in the region. Walker, a local talent, and Antinoro are two young players who Atlético Ottawa believe are a big part of the club’s long-term plans, with the latter signing a new three-year deal over the holidays. The club had previously sent goalkeeper Nathan Ingham and former midfielder Ollie Bassett to San Luis to train, and spent their preseason in San Luis in 2024.