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Striker Cyle Larin joins fellow Canadian Tajon Buchanan at Belgian Club Brugge.
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Larin, who leads all Canadian men with 24 international goals, bid farewell to Turkey’s Besiktas in a social media post over the weekend.
“We have accomplished a lot together,” wrote the 27-year-old from Brampton, Ont. “We stayed strong through the tough days and from there brought great joy as we won championships. It was an honor to share these moments with all of you who are part of this wonderful Besiktas family. Unfortunately, it’s time to say goodbye.
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Club Brugge announced Larin’s arrival in a social media post showing the Canadian in the team’s new shirt.
“New challenge, new colors. Boy from Bruges. Welcome Cyle.
Larin, who was out of contact with Besiktas, signed with Brugge until 2025.
Club Brugge won the Belgian league title in May for the third consecutive season, and the 18th time overall, and will play in the Champions League next season.
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Bruges finished second to Union Saint-Gilloise in the regular season, but won the Belgian title with a successful playoff run.
Buchanan, a 23-year-old winger from Brampton, joined the Belgian side on a transfer from the New England Revolution at the end of the 2021 MLS season.
Larin has scored 24 goals in 52 appearances for Canada and has been key in Canada’s World Cup qualifying campaign with 16 goals – in 21 games – since the start of 2021.
The six-foot-two forward set Canada’s men’s scoring record in January in a 1-0 World Cup qualifying win over the United States in Hamilton, overtaking Dwayne De Rosario, who scored 22 goals in 81 appearances.
Larin joined Canada captain Atiba Hutchinson at Besiktas in January 2018 after a messy exit from Orlando City from Major League Soccer.
Larin won MLS Rookie of the Year in 2015 after scoring a rookie record 17 goals. He added 14 more goals in 2016 and 12 in 2017.
After two years at the University of Connecticut, Larin was selected first overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft.
Larin, who played for Toronto-area Sigma FC Academy from 2007-2014, made his senior debut for Canada against Bulgaria in May 2014.
