Whitecaps Sign Barry Robson As DP, He’ll Join Team In July

“Barry has been a proven playmaker at the highest levels of the game for both club and country,” Whitecaps head coach Martin Rennie said in a team release. “He is a versatile box-to-box midfielder that can play in several positions, with the ability to create and score goals. Barry will be a great addition to our squad.”

The 33-year-old will most likely play as a central midfielder for the Whitecaps, although he has spent time all over the midfield and has even played a little forward. He’s shown an impressive scoring touch from just about every position he’s played, bagging 18 goals and 16 assists since joining Middlsebrough in 2010. He’s also made 16 appearances for Scotland since debuting in 2007.

Middlesbrough is currently eighth in the table, but just one point shy of a spot in the promotion playoffs. That could push their season into early May. The Whitecaps play 12 MLS matches prior to the pair of international breaks that will effectively keep most MLS teams off the field between June 1-12.

Maybe having some extra time to figure out how the Whitecaps can use Robson will be a good thing. Robson is definitely more of an attacking player, something the Whitecaps already have in spades. The good news is that he appears to be pretty versatile, logging minutes across the midfield and even at forward this season. Four of his six Championship goals have come from the right side, with his other two coming while he was a CM.

Bentley may only be one of British player the Whitecaps have an eye on. Scotland international Barry Robson has also been linked to the Whitecaps recently with the Daily Mail saying that he will join the MLS side in the summer. Robson is currently with English Championship side Middlesborough, where he’s scored six goals in 23 matches so far this season. Middlesborough is currently eighth in the table, one point outside of a spot in the promotion playoff.