Two massive incoming transfers have signalled to the league that FC Whitehorse intends to be far more competitive this season than in years past.
The club first agreed to a deal to acquire midfielder Sólyom Havas from Lokomotiv Buda in his native Hungary. The 25 year old Havas managed only a single goal last season in 31 matches, a far cry from the 11 he scored in his last season with fellow Hungarian club Martians of Science. The price for Havas was steep, as the club paid $2,095,000 in a transfer fee, in addition to a 4 year contract that pays the midfielder $935,000 per season.
Havas was not the club's highest paid player for long as the Freezers added star defender Marcel Omozusi from El Boltos FC in the Brazilian league for a $970,000 transfer fee. Omozusi, 31, will receive a 2 year deal from Whitehorse with an annual salary of $2,155,000. Serving primarily as a centre back, Omozusi scored 6 goals in 36 matches last season for the Bolts.
Manager Kemal Perrin noted that while the price might seem steep, that kind of spending is compensation prerequisite for a competitive season. "Omozusi and Havas are two players we had identified early on in this offseason as potential key contributors to our club" said Perrin. "To get both of them really pushes our timetable ahead of what we had initially planned on. This kind of top talent is what you need to add if you want to be a top level team. We're still building into that place, but this was an excellent first step in achieving that aim."
The club also added forward Leshawn Janot from new CSL club Not Very United. He is expected to serve in a depth role at Whitehorse.