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Global News
2 days ago
- Sport
- Global News
Midfielder Kianz Froese returns to his Manitoba roots, signs with Valour FC
After nine years in Germany, Kianz Froese was working on the family's coffee plantation/farm in Cuba when he got a call from Josh Carabatsakis, Valour FC's director of football operations. The message was simple. '(He) told me I should come play,' Froese recalled. 'And then presented me the opportunity to come home and play.' The 29-year-old attacking midfielder said yes, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Canadian Premier League side, plus a club option for 2026. It's a homecoming for Froese, who was born in Cuba but came to Manitoba with his family when he was one. 'It feels good,' he said. 'It's been a while since I've been back in Winnipeg. So (I'm) happy about it.' A former Canadian youth international at the under-17 and under-20 ranks, Froese was 19 when he won senior caps for Canada against Ghana in October 2015 and the U.S. in February 2016 Story continues below advertisement Froese was born to a Cuban mother and Canadian father. They met in Cuba, where his father was involved in a project bringing solar ovens to Cuba. His mother returned to Cuba after Froese's father died. Froese joined the Whitecaps residency in September 2011 after a training stint with FC Edmonton, making the move from his hometown of Brunkild, Man. He was named the Whitecaps' Most Promising Player for 2015, after a productive year that saw him make his MLS debut, score his first MLS goal and make his senior international debut. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy He left for Germany and the second division club Fortuna Duesseldorf in early 2017. He had the option of staying in Vancouver, but wanted to experience playing in Europe. In December 2017, he was promoted to the Duesseldorf first team. In July 2019, he switched to FC Saarbruecken before moving to TSV Havelse and SV Wehen Wiesbaden, which he helped gain promotion to the German second division before leaving in July 2024. Froese set a record in the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) for assists by a lower-division club while with Saarbruecken, which was promoted to the German third-tier while he was there. Froese, who also won promotion to the second tier while playing in Germany, says after the first few years, life in Germany started becoming normal. Story continues below advertisement 'And now I'm maybe more German than Canadian,' he said with a laugh. Froese didn't speak any German before arriving. That has changed, especially with a German girlfriend. She will be joining him 'for a bit' in Winnipeg before she heads to China to study He wasn't sure about his football future after Germany, saying he was 'looking but passively' for a new club. 'Some things did come up, opportunities, but I decided not to take them,' he said. Time went by, and he began to think about a return to soccer. He chose Winnipeg over several other offers from Europe. 'I made a decision more for the soul … I wanted to do something different,' he explained. 'Come back home and experience being back here.' Valour is delighted to land Froese, who will wear No. 80 'This is a big moment for our club,' Valour GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos said in a statement. 'Kianz adds quality and versatility to our group of attackers with a high level of experience. He's a local guy with ties to the community who brings a competitive edge to compete and win for this city.' Story continues below advertisement Also Wednesday, Valour announced that midfielder Dante Campbell has been placed on the inactive list with a season-ending knee injury. The CPL club will receive cap relief on the compensation owed to Campbell for the remainder of the year. Valour (2-6-2) currently stands seventh in the eight-team CPL, two points ahead of cellar-dwelling Vancouver FC. After a 0-4-1 start to the season, Valour has gone 2-2-1, losing 3-0 at league-leading Atletico Ottawa last time out. Valour has conceded a league-worst 21 goals while scoring only nine, tied for second-worst. Only Pacific FC, with eight goals, has scored fewer. Valour hosts second-place Forge FC (5-0-5) on Sunday at Princess Auto Stadium.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Midfielder Kianz Froese returns to his Manitoba roots, signs with Valour FC
After nine years in Germany, Kianz Froese was working on the family's coffee plantation/farm in Cuba when he got a call from Josh Carabatsakis, Valour FC's director of football operations. The message was simple. '(He) told me I should come play,' Froese recalled. 'And then presented me the opportunity to come home and play.' The 29-year-old attacking midfielder said yes, agreeing to a one-year contract with the Canadian Premier League side, plus a club option for 2026 It's a homecoming for Froese, who was born in Cuba but came to Manitoba with his family when he was one. 'It feels good,' he said. 'It's been a while since I've been back in Winnipeg. So (I'm) happy about it.' A former Canadian youth international at the under-17 and under-20 ranks, Froese was 19 when he won senior caps for Canada against Ghana in October 2015 and the U.S. in February 2016 Froese was born to a Cuban mother and Canadian father. They met in Cuba, where his father was involved in a project bringing solar ovens to Cuba. His mother returned to Cuba after Froese's father died. Froese joined the Whitecaps residency in September 2011 after a training stint with FC Edmonton, making the move from his hometown of Brunkild, Man. He was named the Whitecaps' Most Promising Player for 2015, after a productive year that saw him make his MLS debut, score his first MLS goal and make his senior international debut. He left for Germany and the second division club Fortuna Duesseldorf in early 2017. He had the option of staying in Vancouver, but wanted to experience playing in Europe. In December 2017, he was promoted to the Duesseldorf first team. In July 2019, he switched to FC Saarbruecken before moving to TSV Havelse and SV Wehen Wiesbaden, which he helped gain promotion to the German second division before leaving in July 2024. Froese set a record in the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) for assists by a lower-division club while with Saarbruecken, which was promoted to the German third-tier while he was there. Froese, who also won promotion to the second tier while playing in Germany, says after the first few years, life in Germany started becoming normal. 'And now I'm maybe more German than Canadian,' he said with a laugh. Froese didn't speak any German before arriving. That has changed, especially with a German girlfriend. She will be joining him 'for a bit' in Winnipeg before she heads to China to study He wasn't sure about his football future after Germany, saying he was 'looking but passively' for a new club. 'Some things did come up, opportunities, but I decided not to take them,' he said. Time went by, and he began to think about a return to soccer. He chose Winnipeg over several other offers from Europe. 'I made a decision more for the soul … I wanted to do something different,' he explained. 'Come back home and experience being back here.' Valour is delighted to land Froese, who will wear No. 80 'This is a big moment for our club,' Valour GM and head coach Phillip Dos Santos said in a statement. 'Kianz adds quality and versatility to our group of attackers with a high level of experience. He's a local guy with ties to the community who brings a competitive edge to compete and win for this city.' Also Wednesday, Valour announced that midfielder Dante Campbell has been placed on the inactive list with a season-ending knee injury. The CPL club will receive cap relief on the compensation owed to Campbell for the remainder of the year. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Valour (2-6-2) currently stands seventh in the eight-team CPL, two points ahead of cellar-dwelling Vancouver FC. After a 0-4-1 start to the season, Valour has gone 2-2-1, losing 3-0 at league-leading Atletico Ottawa last time out. Valour has conceded a league-worst 21 goals while scoring only nine, tied for second-worst. Only Pacific FC, with eight goals, has scored fewer. Valour hosts second-place Forge FC (5-0-5) on Sunday at Princess Auto Stadium. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool draw up fresh Florian Wirtz plan after completing transfer U-turn
Liverpool are closing in on announcing Florian Wirtz as their third summer signing, with the final stages of the deal with Bayer Leverkusen expected to be wrapped up this week Florian Wirtz will undergo his medical at Liverpool on Friday after the Reds finally reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen. The Premier League champions have been pushing to sign the playermaker all summer. With two years to run on his contract, Leverkusen could afford to hold out until the price was right for them. After knocking back Liverpool's opening two bids, a deal was agreed last week. The Reds will pay a total of £116million to the Bundesliga side, £100m of which is due upfront. It marks a U-turn for Leverkusen, who had initially been seeking a fee in the region of £124.6m. If all add-ons are paid out, it will be a new British transfer record. Even the baseline £100m smashes Liverpool's current club record, which was set when they bought Darwin Nunez from Benfica. Having helped them to win the Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal double in 2024, Wirtz will make his first move outside of Germnay. He is expected to sign a five-year contract upon his arrival at Anfield. According to The Athletic, a major step towards completing the deal will happen on Friday when Wirtz undergos his medical. The 22-year-old will arrive in the United Kingdom later this week ahead of the tests. Liverpool have beaten off competition from Bayern Munich to complete their move for Wirtz. It is the English club's third signing of the summer, following Jeremie Frimpong's move from Leverkusen and the arrival of young keeper Armin Pecsi from Hungary. Reds boss Arne Slot is keen to push his side on following this year's title win. Speaking after the final game of the season, he hinted that they would be busy in the transfer market over the summer. "We just want good players and ideally you sign them as soon as you can. But it's not always easy to sign good players, let alone to sign them early in the window. But this club doesn't start working from today onwards," he said. "There is so much hard work being done behind the scenes already this season to find out which targets we have and try to sign them. I have all the confidence that if we've addressed the right player that we try to sign that player. "But let's see when that's going to happen and if that's going to happen because I'm very happy with the squad we already have. Radical changes you will probably not see because that would be a bit weird if you won the league. We need to improve with this team but if we are able to bring new players in then maybe you have to adapt to their qualities as well. But that will never be drastic because this is the playing style I prefer, this is the playing style the club prefers and our fans want to see as well. "So, we try to find players – if we think we need a new player – that can fit this playing style. But you always adjust towards maybe new things you can expect and you try to improve on this season."
Daily Mirror
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Liverpool handed chance to complete Wirtz swap transfer as new target emerges
Liverpool are pushing hard to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen and a door has now opened that could help to push through the move for the German playermaker Liverpool have been handed a prime chance to complete their record move for Florian Wirtz, with Bayer Leverkusen growing interested in one of the Reds' players. Wirtz has emerged as their top target for the summer window. The playmaker has starred over recent seasons, playing a key role as they won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double last year. But with only two years to run on his contract, Leverkusen are ready to sell. They are demanding a high price though, with Liverpool having failed with two bids so far. A deal does finally seem to be closing in though, with Leverkusen expected to be paid a package in the region of their asking price. The German side have already sold Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool earlier this summer. While Wirtz appears to be on his way over to Anfield, Leverkusen are eyeing a move the other way. If Liverpool were to agree to sell the player Leverkusen are chasing, it could help to push through the move for Wirtz. But it would involve Liverpool U-turning on their current stance. According to Sky Sports Germany, Leverkusen are interested in signing Jarell Quansah. It is said that 'concrete talks' have begun between the two clubs, though an agreement has not yet been reached. While Leverkusen are exploring other options, Quansah is understood to be 'high on the list'. The 22-year-old has another four years to run on his current contract, with Liverpool currently not looking to sell him. The Reds could be tempted into letting him go, though it would take a bid in excess of £40m. Leverkusen's current transfer record is the £27.1m signing of Kerem Demirbay from Hoffenheim in 2019. Though he claimed a regular starting spot during the 2023/2024 season, the campaign just gone was much more difficult. He was subbed off at half-time of the opening game, going on to start just four more games in the Premier League. Boss Arne Slot insisted he is a fan of the defender, but admitted he still has work to do on his game. Slot said last month: "He has all the qualities and he is already shown that to me - but also to you - to play for this club. "But the biggest part of us winning the league is of course consistency and that is the most difficult part for a younger player to get that as well. Jarell is fast, strong and comfortable on the ball. He has every ingredient a centre-back for this club should have. "Now the last parts should be consistency in his performances. To play in this team you need to be really, really, really good and he is competitive to the other ones. But he was maybe a bit unlucky that the other ones stayed fit throughout the whole season. "They have so much consistency in their levels. Jarell has had consistency as well but one moment can change the perception of a game. One moment can also lead to us losing or winning a game of football."
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Florian Wirtz: What will record-breaker bring to Liverpool?
Liverpool are closing in on the biggest transfer of the summer after reaching a record-breaking agreement for Florian Wirtz. A verbal agreement has been reached between the Reds and Bayer Leverkusen, over a fee that could reach €150m (£126m) with add-ons. Advertisement It's a deal that will break the British transfer record, the first time Liverpool have surpassed that landmark since Stan Collymore's arrival from Nottingham Forest in 1995. Liverpool have shown a willingness to spend big before. Virgil van Dijk became the world's most expensive defender upon his arrival from Southampton in January 2018. Six months later, Alisson Becker became the goalkeeping equivalent. Both were huge deals. Both justified the outlay. The Reds' recruitment team are confident Wirtz will follow suit. Liverpool's interest in Wirtz caught many by surprise. Bayern Munich had been the overwhelming favourites to land the 22-year-old. Manchester City's need for his profile perhaps appeared more apparent. After talks with all three clubs, Wirtz decided on Anfield, the final stepping stone the size of the fee. Advertisement Bayer Leverkusen demanded a record sum and will receive one. If all add-ons are met, Wirtz will become one of the most expensive footballers of all time. The expectation is high. But expectation has followed Wirtz from an early age. He became Leverkusen's youngest league debutant in 2020 and, soon, the Bundesliga's youngest goalscorer. A rapid rise was halted in March 2022 when Wirtz tore his anterior cruciate ligament but the comeback was greater than the setback. In 2023/24, he was the inspiration behind Bayer Leverkusen's maiden title success. Thriving in Xabi Alonso's fluid system, Wirtz was the creative centre-piece of the side. He scored 18 times and created 20 more, as Leverkusen became Germany's first Invincibles. Their title was won without losing a game, sealed with a Wirtz hat-trick against Werder Bremen. The DFB-Pokal was added to secure a domestic double, while a 51-game unbeaten run in all competitions set a new European record. Bayern Munich returned to behemoth status this season to reclaim the crown, though Wirtz continued to shine even as Leverkusen's level dropped. Advertisement He returned 31 goals and assists in 45 appearances, including six strikes in his first Champions League campaign. For the second straight year, he was voted Bundesliga Player of the Year. So where does he fit in at Liverpool? In truth, the options are open. Wirtz, in essence, is a raumdeuter, a phrase coined in Germany to define a player who interprets space. Thomas Muller was perhaps the master of the role, one that has few parameters. While Muller's ghosting into goalscoring areas was his super-strength, Wirtz's interpretation is a little different. He drops into pockets of space, into blind spots between opposition defences and midfields, making him difficult to pick up. When free, he has been devastatingly effective. Last season, Wirtz led all Bundesliga players for through balls, goal-creating actions and successful take-ons. Whether it's beating his man with quick feet or threading passes through gaps, Wirtz has been a chance-creation machine. Advertisement Liverpool were heavily reliant on Mohamed Salah for creativity last season. Salah's 18 assists were a league-leading total, with the next-highest in the squad Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold with six each. Alexander-Arnold's exit for Real Madrid, alongside Andy Robertson's decline in attacking output, has heightened the need for a creative reinvention. Enter, Wirtz. Across Europe's top five leagues, only two players have recorded 10+ goals and 10+ assists in each of the last two seasons Wirtz's arrival to join Salah means both will be in Liverpool red next season. Just two players averaged more final third touches per 90 than Wirtz in Europe last season. Of the top 10, the German was the only player not to come from Manchester City, Bayern Munich, Barcelona or Paris Saint-Germain, four sides accustomed to dominating possession and territory in their respective leagues. Advertisement With a preference to drift into the left channels, he will add unpredictability to a Liverpool attack that has so often looked to funnel forward through Salah. The final picture will become clearer once the transfer window closes but Arne Slot looks keen to put his own stamp on this side. Jeremie Frimpong's arrival and the expected signing of Milos Kerkez will bring pace and dynamism to the full-back roles, while Wirtz will offer an off-the-cuff option in midfield that has perhaps not been present since Philippe Coutinho. More experienced players have struggled under the weight of expectation in England, but there's little doubt that Wirtz is one of world football's most impressive young talents. Liverpool's recruitment team has not got much wrong in the Michael Edwards era and their willingness to spend big on the marquee man will not have been actioned without serious thought. The champions have made a statement from a position of strength. Advertisement Read – Every player to break the Premier League transfer record since 92/93 See more – Six players to watch at the under-21 European Championship Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | TikTok
