Caps’ Adekugbe wants to stay in England
Whitecaps left-back Sam Adekugbe sees himself in England.
The 22-year-old Canadian international is currently on loan to Championship side Brighton & Hove Albion and has told The Argus that he’d like to stay.
“I think everyone knows that I want to play in England,” he told the Argus. “I’ve said before that England is football, football is England. I don’t want to disrespect my club back in Vancouver, but everyone knows my ambitions and that is to be in England.”
Adekugbe, who was born in Eng- land and moved to Calgary at age 10, came through the Caps’ residency program. He made his MLS debut at the end of the 2013 season but has made just 16 appearances and 10 starts for the Caps since then.
Last summer, the Caps sent Adekugbe on a one-year loan to Brighton & Hove Albion, where he made his Championship debut last weekend against Preston, a 2-0 loss. He’d played in the FA Cup win over MK Dons the previous week.
Now Adekugbe could make his home league debut against Sheffield Wednesday on Friday, depending on injuries to Gaetan Bong and Sebastian Pocognoli.
NORMAN JR. SIGNS WITH BOYHOOD CLUB
David Norman Jr. is coming home.
The Coquitlam-raised midfielder signed his first professional contract with Whitecaps FC 2 of the United Soccer League on Thursday. He spent last season at Oregon State University, where he scored twice — including the winner against Washington — and set up five goals in 17 appearances as a freshman.
Norman Jr., son of the 1986 World Cup midfielder David Norman Sr., joined the Caps prospects program at age nine and came through their residency program after developing with Coquitlam Metro-Ford. He’s also represented Canada at the U-15 and U-17 levels.
“I’m very excited to have signed for my boyhood club and take the next step towards the first team,” Norman Jr., 18, told whitecapsfc. com.