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FC Edmonton Add Canadian International Ben McKendry On Loan

The attacking midfielder joins from Vancouver Whitecaps FC
NASL Staff (@naslofficial} | Jul 26, 2017

Photo credit: Vancouver Whitecaps FC

FC Edmonton can confirm Tuesday that the club has secured the loan of Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Ben McKendry, with option to recall, until the end of the 2017 NASL Fall Season.

The 24-year-old central midfielder from Vancouver, British Columbia, made his Major League Soccer (MLS) debut this season with the Whitecaps on March 11 in a 3-2 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes before starting both legs of the Canadian Championship semifinals versus the Montreal Impact in May. In the United Soccer League (USL) with affiliate Whitecaps FC 2, McKendry has started in all 14 of his appearances this season, scoring two goals.

“Ben is an attacking midfield player and one who’s very well thought of by the Whitecaps,” FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller said. “I spoke at length with [Whitecaps FC head coach] Carl Robinson and the feedback was excellent. Ben will add more competition for places, is more of a creative-type player and one I'm really excited to work with. I’m all about hard work at this club and Ben epitomizes that.

"He’s in that group where one minute he’s with the first-team and the next he's down with Whitecaps FC 2. The move gives Ben more consistent first-team minutes and provides us with strong addition and a fresh face to the group.”

The 5-foot-11 midfielder joined the 'Caps youth setup at the age of 14 with now-current teammate Ben Fisk and spent three seasons at the University of New Mexico before signing an MLS contract with the Whitecaps in January, 2015.

"This is a good opportunity for Ben to play in a new city and new league," Whitecaps FC head coach Carl Robinson said in a release issued on whitecapsfc.com. "It's important that our young players face new and different challenges and it's the right time for Ben to try something different. We'll continue to track his development.”

McKendry made his international debut with Canada earlier this year after playing the first 45 minutes of a 4-2 win for Canada over Bermuda. Holding dual citizenship between Canada and New Zealand, he attended New Zealand's U-20 national team training camp before opting to represent his birth country of Canada.

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