Vancouver Whitecaps sell dynamic midfielder Pedro Vite to LIGA MX side Pumas UNAM

San Diego FC's Ian Pilcher, back right, pulls down Vancouver Whitecaps' Tate Johnson, back left, as they vie for the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match, in Vancouver, on Wednesday, June 25, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

The Vancouver Whitecaps will be without one of their top scorers this weekend as they seek to retake the No. 1 spot in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference.

The club announced Friday that 23-year-old midfielder Pedro Vite has been transferred to LIGA MX side Pumas UNAM.

Terms of the deal were not released, but Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster said in a statement that the club will invest the transfer fee to “strengthen our roster, for both immediate impact and long-term success” and Vancouver will receive a percentage of any future transfer fees.

“Pedro arrived in Vancouver at 19, living outside of Ecuador for the first time. Year after year, he continued to progress, and this season he’s emerged as one of the top midfielders in MLS and a key contributor to his national team,” Schuster said.

“We explored several options with Pedro and, ultimately, we respect his decision. We’re grateful for everything he brought to the club and wish him all the best in the next chapter of his career.”

Vite joined the Whitecaps in October 2021 from Ecuadorian first division side Independiente Del Valle.

During his time in Vancouver, he tallied 15 goals and 20 assists in 140 appearances, including five goals and a team-leading six assists across all competitions this year. Last month, he helped Ecuador’s national squad qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Vite has been an important part of the Whitecaps this season, midfielder Sebastian Berhalter said Friday.

“He’s honestly been amazing,” he said. “One of the first moments I played with him, I realized, ‘Wow, this kid is special.’ He wasn’t getting the game time, but you could see just his touch and technique on the ball was something I hadn’t really played with before.”

The move means the ‘Caps (12-5-5) will have a hole in their lineup Saturday when they take on San Diego FC (13-7-3) in California.

“(Vite’s) a guy who can make very difficult things look very easy and I think that he has had a great season so far,” said Jesper Sorensen, Vancouver’s head coach.

“Of course we will miss him. We will always miss a good player and a good guy as well. But on the other hand, this is the name of the game and this is how football works. And we will be ready to fill out the spot that he leaves.”

Saturday’s match will be a battle for best of the West, with expansion side San Diego currently sitting one point ahead of Vancouver and in the No. 1 spot in the MLS Western Conference standings.

The stakes were similar back on June 25 when San Diego came to Vancouver for the first-ever matchup between the two sides. The new franchise waltzed away with a 5-3 victory.

Milan Iloski scored four goals for the visitors that night, but won’t be in the lineup on Saturday. The midfielder left San Diego earlier this week to rejoin Danish Superliga side FC Nordjaelland.

Sorensen, for one, isn’t disappointed to see Iloski go.

“He was pretty hard on us last time. I’m happy he’s not there today,” the coach said with a laugh.

“No matter who (San Diego) play, they all play the same way. Of course it’s not the same player they have but they have good players around and they’ll also find a replacement that will make things difficult for us.”

VANCOUVER WHITECAPS (12-5-5) AT SAN DIEGO FC (13-7-3)

Saturday, Snapdragon Stadium

POTENT OFENCE: San Diego continues to be an offensive juggernaut, leading the league in both goals (46) and assists (55). The team is also second in passes completed (13,731).

QUEST FOR 100: Striker Brian White scored his 99th career goal on Wednesday. He leads the ‘Caps in scoring this season with 16 goals across all competitions.

KEEP IT CLEAN: Vancouver ‘keeper Yohei Takaoka leads the league with 10 clean sheets after backstopping the Whitecaps to a 3-0 victory over the Dynamo.

This report by Gemma Karstens-Smith of The Canadian Press was first published July 18, 2025.