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Cavalry FC has entered the new year with a bang.
That’s because Calgary’s professional footie crew has signed yet another Canadian star for 2024 and beyond.
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Just in time for Concacaf Champions Cup action, to boot.
The Canadian Premier League club has signed dynamic midfielder Diego Gutierrez on a two-year deal with a one-year option.
“We felt we needed another high-quality midfield player to add a different dimension to our squad and give us depth centrally,” Cavalry GM/head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said. “Guti fits that profile, as he is an intelligent, all-phases midfielder that is excellent both sides of the ball, with an exceptional range of passing.
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“He is also a player that can fit in all three roles within the midfield, which is rare and highly beneficial for us.”
The 26-year-old joins as a free agent following his time spent with CPL side Valour FC, where he made 82 appearances, making himself a familiar name as one of the best midfielders in the league and was named as the CPL Player of the Month in April 2023.
As a box-to-box midfielder, Gutierrez can play across all positions in the midfield and is a specialist on set-pieces, fitting strongly with one of Cavalry’s strategic attacking strengths.
Born in Canada, Gutierrez moved with his family to Chile at the age of three, where he later began his career at the age of five.
Gutierrez joined Chilean side Colo-Colo’s academy before joining the youth system of Club Deportivo Palestino. He then went on to make his professional debut for Palestino in 2015, before leaving to join the CPL in it’s inaugural 2019 season.
Internationally, Gutierrez has been called up to the Canadian men’s under-20 team.
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“I’m very happy to be joining Cavalry FC,” Gutierrez added. “The club has performed very well over the past five years with their success. I can’t wait to play on ATCO Field and celebrate with the fans in Calgary.”
Cavalry opens training later this week — earlier than usual on the schedule because of the Concacaf commitments ahead of the club.
The Cavs begin first-round action by hosting the Major League Soccer’s Orlando City SC on Feb. 21 at Vancouver Island’s Starlight Stadium. They then head south to Florida for Leg 2 of the home-and-home series at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium on Tuesday, Feb. 27.
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