The Halifax Wanderers added some youth to their back line on Wednesday.
The Canadian Premier League team signed 22-year-old fullback Mateo Restrepo, a Canadian who played in the NCAA for UC Santa Barbara.
“I’m excited because I’ve watched a few Wanderers games and I saw the Wanderers have by far the best atmosphere in the Canadian Premier League,” Restrepo said in a news release. “It seems like the entire community is behind the team and I think that’s great and it attracted me to the team.”
Restrepo played for Canada at the under-17 and under-18 levels, as well as in the Toronto FC Academy. He later suited up for TFC II in the United Soccer League.
“He’s clean on the ball and technically sound. He can also get up and down the line so I’m happy to have him," Wanderers head coach Stephen Hart said in a news release.
“There are no guarantees and like every other player he will have to fight for his place but he is coming off a good season and has earned his opportunity.”
Restrepo also has experience overseas. He was a member of FC Ingolstadt 04 in the Under-19 Bundesliga in Germany prior to embarking on his university career.
“I think my game has developed and especially when I went to Germany their fullbacks are basically midfielders so you are bombing up and down and that was a big emphasis, so I like to contribute to the attack,” Restrepo said.
The Wanderers open training camp in March.
