With the departure of star goalkeeper Emil Gazdov to CF Montreal (MLS), Pacific FC was left searching for a reliable presence in net. They may have found their answer through a loan deal with the Vancouver Whitecaps.
PFC has secured 20-year-old netminder Max Anchor on loan through the end of the 2025 campaign.
Anchor's journey with the Whitecaps began in 2017 when he joined their academy at 13.
The netminder signed with Whitecaps FC 2 (WFC2) on an MLS contract in May 2022, before joining the Whitecaps MLS roster at the start of the 2023 season.
His career saw its greatest leap at just 17 years old when he made his Whitecaps debut.
Thrust into his first MLS start on a short-term call-up due to health and safety protocols, the Burnaby, B.C. product performed laudably in front of 30,000 fans in a 2-1 defeat against Charlotte FC at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“All the experience that I got from that season was crazy—whether it was the first-team preseason, my debut game, or with WFC2 – I learned a lot," Anchor said.
Since 2022, Anchor has started 38 matches for WFC2 in MLS NEXT Pro, including one playoff game. He earned six clean sheets, stopped three of eight penalty kicks in regulation time, made 129 saves, and served as team captain.
Whitecaps FC sporting director, Axel Schuster expects this loan to be a pivotal part of his development.
“Max has been developing well within our system, starting from the academy and now in his fourth professional season,” Schuster said. “This is an excellent opportunity for him to continue to push himself in a new environment as he progresses to the next steps in his career.”
PFC head coach James Merriman has seen continuous growth in Anchor's career.
“Max is a player I know very well. I worked with him in Vancouver and have seen his progression as a young professional,” Merriman said. “He’s a goalkeeper with strong shot-stopping ability and he’s aggressive and driven. We know his potential and are very happy to have secured him on loan for the season.”
Anchor will team up with Sean Melvin to form PFC's new goaltending tandem.
The Tridents will open their season on April 5 against Winnipeg's Valour FC.
