Canadian Premier League side York9 FC has mutually agreed to terminate Simon Adjei’s contract ahead of the 2020 Canadian Premier League season.

The 26-year-old Swedish striker had been the league’s first-ever international signing when he came in from Assyriska IK in December 2018, rejoining club gaffer Jim Brennan two years after a successful spell with League1 Ontario side Aurora FC. Unfortunately for Adjei, the inaugural Canadian Premier League season turned out to be a difficult one, with the six-foot-four striker only finding his feet late into the fall season.

Adjei finishes his time with York9 FC having found the net eight times in thirty appearances, scoring the club’s second-ever goal in a 2-1 loss to Cavalry FC. By the end of the inaugural campaign, Brennan had mainly used Adjei for his physical presence, tiring out defenders and then substituting on top York9 FC goalscorer Rodrigo Gattas later on in the match. While the fall season saw a rise in form for Adjei, it evidently wasn’t enough to keep him top of the squad lineup.

The club is expected to announce Jamaican striker Nicholas Hamilton in the near future, with Jim Brennan also bringing in goalscoring wingers Gabriel Vasconcelos and Michael Petrasso. The club has yet to confirm any other striker signings, but it’s certainly worth noting that former Toronto FC man Mo Babouli has been training with the side, though his signing has yet to be made official.

With Adjei’s departure, the club currently only has two internationals on the books: Wataru Murofushi and Gabriel Vasconcelos, though it is expected that more internationals (like Hamilton) will arrive closer to March. Whatever moves Brennan has made behind the scenes so far have evidently pushed Adjei down the depth chart, which is what ultimately led to his contract being mutually terminated.

We thank Simon for his efforts in the club’s debut season and wish him nothing but the best on and off the field in the future. . We’ve been working hard to strengthen the squad during the close season, and this decision was made in an effort to help Simon secure more guaranteed playing time in 2020 than we could offer him. Jim Brennan

Adjei becomes the seventh player to be released by the Nine Stripes this offseason, following a batch of six releases that also included former Toronto FC Academy striker Cyrus Rollocks. With the club remaining quiet on if Michael Cox or Rodrigo Gattas will be re-signed, it’s not ultimately clear who will find themselves up front for York9 FC in the 2020 Canadian Premier League season.

Beyond Hamilton, Gabriel, and Petrasso, the club has also brought in former Ottawa Fury midfielder Chris Mannella, who rounds out what is looking to be a threatening midfield from the York Region side. It’s clear that Jim Brennan intends to sign his two CPL U-SPORTS Draft selections, though he still needs one more domestic U-21 player to comply with league roster regulations. That’s why the club held a local U-21 talent camp in the York Region, though Brennan has remained quiet on any local players who may have impressed.

Now under the guidance of Angus McNab and his sports consultancy group following the departure of fformer Club President Preben Ganzhorn, it’ll be interesting to see if the Nine Stripes can pull in larger crowds than it did in the inaugural season. The club rose to third place in the fall season, with many of the club’s players adamant that the side can challenge for the North Star Shield this time around.

Whatever happens, it’ll come without the presence of Simon Adjei, who is expected to resume his playing career overseas in Sweden.

Source: York9 FC