Whitecaps: Jayden Nelson unlikely to be opening salvo in a roster reset

Nothing lasts forever. If you needed any more understanding of this, just look at what we knew even before the Vancouver Whitecaps ran onto the pitch at Chase Stadium two weeks ago to play for the MLS Cup — that this team just wouldn’t look the same next year.

When your team wins, when you get a collection of standout performances, when you play in a league with a salary cap, it’s inevitable.

Players who have performed well are going to be transfer targets for other clubs. Players who deserve a big raise may not fit into your salary cap structure. Players who didn’t play a lot may feel they are deserving of more minutes and will put on pressure to be sent to a new home.

That latter case is how we can understand Jayden Nelson. The Caps sent him to Austin FC on Thursday morning, in exchange for a mountain of salary cap space and a draft pick. In an ideal world, you would like to hang onto an attacking weapon such as Nelson, but in the role he played, you have to be ruthless. As fun as he was to watch, here are a pair of tough truths: in league play this year he had two goals and six assists this season, half of which were in the season-opening win way back in February. Second, he barely played in the playoffs, featuring in just 10 minutes in the opening-round series against Dallas, again was a late sub versus LAFC, but with all the extra time did play nearly 40 minutes. Then, against San Diego and Miami, he was nothing but a footnote to the game.

That said, Whitecaps CEO Axel Schuster told reporters Thursday that the trade was simply about getting Nelson a chance to play more next spring, with the FIFA World Cup on the schedule and Nelson hoping to solidify his role with the Canadian national team.

“He was very appreciative,” Schuster said of the chance the Whitecaps had given him, bringing Nelson back from Europe where his career had hit a real rut. If there wasn’t a World Cup next summer, Nelson would have stayed, the Caps boss said. (Schuster was named MLS sporting executive of the year last week, by the way.)

And even though Nelson wasn’t super productive, he clearly still had value: $1.25 million in general allocation money isn’t chump change and will give them a great deal of flexibility in managing their roster. The GAM, which is MLS-speak for cap space, is split between 2026 and 2027.

Plus, a fully fit Ryan Gauld will be an option to play on the wing next season. Then there’s Kenji Cabrera, who will also need more playing time. The Whitecaps already had options built in.

Also on Thursday, the Whitecaps re-signed goalie Yohei Takaoka, a nice surprise given late-season chatter had him likely heading back to Japan. The Whitecaps are certainly hoping for more of that.

Schuster revealed the team had received written offers for six players beyond Nelson. The hope is to keep the band together, but he admitted that there are always other factors.

“It is not our intention to move somebody out,” he declared.

The club exercised contract options on Ali Ahmed and Sebastian Berhalter earlier this week. But to keep them longer term, to sign them to raises, the club would have to make choices about other players, Schuster admitted.

In August, reports emerged that Ahmed was a target for German club Schalke 04. The Whitecaps held onto the winger, and you know they want him to play a big role in next year’s pursuit of further titles. But clearly, the interest from outside clubs is going to remain.

Berhalter is another who is sure to draw transfer interest. The American international’s name is well-known in global football — his father Gregg spent more than a decade in Dutch and German football.

Andrés Cubas, who is set to play for Paraguay at next summer’s World Cup, has drawn the interest of Brazilian club Athletico Paranaense. Cubas and his wife are said to be very happy living in Vancouver, so only a big offer would likely entice them to move abroad.

This is what happens when you win — other teams want to add your players so they themselves can win. Of course, the Caps themselves are also looking to keep winning and that means Schuster may yet also chase after more players to reinforce his squad — another midfielder perhaps, now that Ralph Priso has emerged as a ball-moving centre back, plus another striker option after Daniel Rios’ loan from Chivas Guadalajara came to an end. The Whitecaps declined their option to buy his contract earlier this week.

SUPERDRAFT — With the 17th overall pick acquired in the trade, the Caps picked University of Washington defender Zach Ramsey. With the 29th overall pick, their own first round pick, they picked High Point University forward Daniel Lugo.

pjohnston@postmedia.com