The Whitecaps acquired $150,000 in 2018 Targeted Allocation Money, or TAM, from Chicago in exchange for midfielder Tony Chani.
Chani, an 8-year Major League veteran, only joined the Whitecaps in March, having been acquired from Columbus, along with $225,000 in 2017 TAM, as well as $75,000 in 2017 General Allocation Money, for striker Kekuta Manneh.
"We are thankful to Tony for his time in Vancouver and wish him all the best with Chicago," said Whitecaps FC manager Carl Robinson. "This move will give us additional roster flexibility."
Mohammed Saeid tries to keep up with Tony Tchani
Ordinarily, one might think that Tchani's TAM might pay for the recently acquired José Aja, but the Whitecaps aren't on the hook for the $125,000 in TAM he cost them until the 2019 season, or $225,000 if he remains a Whitecap for the start of the 2019 season, plus Vancouver's natural 2021 SuperDraft selection if he's still here for the start of the 2020 campaign.
If this sounds confusing, it's because it is. Some would say intentionally so.
The club also picked up $100,000 in TAM for the 2018 season when they sent New Zealand fullback Deklan Wynne to Colorado.
Add to that the ongoing discussions regarding centre back Tim Parker, the fact the club have paid down Brek Shea's contract to open up a designated player spot, and it would appear that the 'Caps are trying to scrape some money together to bring someone in.
The current scuttlebutt is that Burnley's 29-year old Scottish midfielder Scott Scott Arfield, who qualified to play for Canada because his father was born in Toronto, is on the 'Caps radar. Montreal, Vancouver's opponents on Sunday, are also said to be interested.
For the much maligned supporters of Vancouver Whitecaps FC, the question isn't who the 'Caps bring in, but will they? The clubs ownership have shown a marked reluctance to break the bank, and while others are bringing in the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Tim Howard, Miguel Almiron, Nicolas Lodeiro... well, the supporters don't want to see another Barry Robson or Octavio Rivero.