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Photo by DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS

The Brazilian midfielder didn’t suddenly degrade in quality as a player when he came to Vancouver, but he wasn’t utilized properly. It was only when interim head coach Craig Dalyrmple, who lined him up in a more aggressive and advanced role than he’d played this year, that he scored his first goal of the season, on Oct. 17 against Sporting KC.

FB Jake Nerwinski (under contract) $71,625

Defensively capable, fast in a straight line, Nerwinski established himself as the starting right back, leading the team in tackles per game (2.6) while making 10 straight starts to finish the season.

M Russell Teibert (under contract) $160,000

Captain Canada, anyone? The midfielder put forth his best season on the field in 2018, and became the face of the franchise as the tumultuous season wound down. He’s been with the club for a decade, and that’s not going to change.

F Myer Bevan (option) $54,500

Another developmental product who needs minutes, and that’s why he was loaned out — twice — in 2018. He’s yet to see any first-team minutes after signing in December 2017 from the Caps USL team.

CB Doneil Henry (option) $154,238

Photo by DARRYL DYCK / THE CANADIAN PRESS

With Waston leaving, the Whitecaps can’t afford to let their second-most physical player leave. The goals given up in the Sporting Kansas City game by Aja and Maund showed they can’t match the strength one-on-one of some of the strikers around the league.

FB Brett Levis (option) $70,750

The first five months of the season, he made three starts. Since then, he made the starting lineup 10 of the final 12 games, sometimes showing as the team’s best fullback. But lingering issues from surgery that kept him out of the 2017 season have cut short his games too many times. Still, his talent and low price point make him a tough option to pass up.