Whitecaps sign 17-year-old homegrown F Rayan Elloumi

The Vancouver Whitecaps have signed 17-year-old forward Rayan Elloumi through 2028, the club announced Friday.

The deal includes options for 2029 and 2030 for the homegrown player from Alberta.

Elloumi has tallied 11 goals and seven assists in 18 matches for MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Whitecaps FC 2.

"(He is) the youngest player among the top eight goal scorers in MLS NEXT Pro and currently leads the league in goal contributions per minute," Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster said.

"We believe this is the right time to bring him closer to the first team, where we can challenge him further, support his continued development, and prepare him for the next level in MLS."

Elloumi made his MLS debut on June 14, coming on as a late substitute against the Columbus Crew.