Vancouver Whitecaps sign Cristian Techera to permanent deal

The Vancouver Whitecaps have signed winger/forward Cristian Techera to a permanent contract after the Uruguayan spent the 2015 season on loan with the Canadian outfit, the club announced Wednesday.

Techera scored seven goals and recorded five assists last season and now joins the Whitecaps out of Club Atletico River Plate. Terms of the contract were not disclosed, but the club confirmed the use of Targeted Allocation Money to complete the signing.

(Courtesy: @WhitecapsFC)

"Cristian has shown in his first year that he's a terrific young player," Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson said in a statement. "He's the type of player that gets fans out of their seats. We're thrilled to have him remain with the club."

The 23-year-old made 26 appearances with the Whitecaps last year. While the Atomic Ant of Toronto FC, Sebastian Giovinco, is quite short, Techera is statistically the smallest player in MLS, measuring 5-foot-2.

His size earned him the nickname "The Bug" during his time at the Whitecaps.