Atletico Ottawa has signed Valor FC Winnipeg goalkeeper Ryan Yesley.

Atletico Ottawa has acquired last season's Canadian Premier League Goalkeeper of the Year candidate, Ryan Yesley, from Winnipeg's Valor FC.

Midfielder Noah Verhoeven, who has extended his contract until 2025, is going the other way and will spend the 2024 season on loan at the Valour.

Yesli, 24, who spent the last two years in Winnipeg, has joined Atletico on a one-year contract with a club option through the 2025 season.

Yesley joins current Ottawa goaltender Nathan Ingham, who signed a new contract. Sean Melvin, a native of Victoria, left Ottawa earlier this month to sign with Pacific FC.

“We are very proud of this addition, we will have two great goalkeepers,” Ottawa coach Carlos Gonzalez said in a statement. “At the end of the day, it gives us the goal we're looking for in the design of the club: to have two very reliable players in each position, so there's a healthy competitiveness and the team can be the beneficiary of that.” “

Born in Algeria, Esli moved to Montreal with his family at the age of two. He joined CF Montreal's academy, then known as Montreal Impact, before moving to Italy in 2018, where he helped Vibonese's promotion to the Italian third tier.

Back home, Yesley played college football for the Montreal Carabiniers. Valor drafted him in 2021.

Yesley, 24, was a rare bright spot for the Valor in 2023 as the team finished last in the league at 6-14-8. His 81 saves were second among all CPL goalkeepers.

Valor signed a contract with Canadian goalkeeper Jonathan Viscosi. The 32-year-old, from Finnish side Vaasan Pallasseura, has conceded five goals in eight games.

The Ottawa-born goalkeeper has amassed 153 professional caps in England, Sweden, Finland and North America.

A former Canadian youth international, Verhoeven is a product of the Whitecaps residency program in Vancouver.

The 24-year-old from Surrey had one goal and two assists in 27 games for Ottawa last season. He has played 111 career CPL games since 2019, also spending time with Pacific and York United.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published on February 9, 2024

Canadian Press