Toronto FC pick up Whitecaps defender Gutierrez off waivers

Toronto FC added some depth at fullback on Tuesday by buying Cristian Gutierrez on waivers from the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The 26-year-old spent three seasons with Vancouver, with six assists in 42 MLS video games — primarily as a wingback.

Toronto signed Raoul Petretta within the low season to fill the void at left fullback left by the departure of fellow Italian Domenico Cristico. The 25-year-old Petretta has began all three of Toronto’s video games this season however limped off the sphere within the 73rd minute of final Saturday’s 1-1 tie with visiting Columbus.

Canadian worldwide Richie Laryea begins at proper fullback for TFC.

Born in Greenfield Park, Que., Gutierrez moved to Chile when he was three. He got here up by means of the youth ranks at Colo-Colo, finally making his skilled debut with the membership in 2015.

He performed 5 seasons within the Chilean Primera División, together with mortgage stints with Union Espanola in 2017, and Huachipato in 2017-18. Over that span, he performed in 52 league matches earlier than becoming a member of the Whitecaps in 2020.

Gutierrez performed for Chile’s under-20 group earlier than being referred to as up by the Canadian males’s nationwide squad in January 2021. 

Whitecaps head coach Vanni Sartini mentioned Tuesday that the younger defender has struggled over the previous yr, each with accidents and his perspective.

“Last year he was, I would say, angry at certain points because he wasn’t playing. He was reacting not in the right way,” Sartini mentioned on a video name. “I thought at some point sometime in the last year that he didn’t have the will to stay.”

Gutierrez completed out the 2022 marketing campaign with Vancouver’s MLS NextPro aspect, WFC 2. 

Sartini mentioned the ‘Caps opted to position Gutierrez on waivers as a result of he didn’t see numerous possibilities for the defender to play this season.

Toronto (0-1-2) hosts Inter Miami (2-1-0) on Saturday.