Scotland international sees club plan shock rebrand as statement released on 1,250 mile relocation plans

In his sixth season with the Canadian outfit, Gauld has missed the start of the current MLS campaign after undergoing knee surgery, but is a major figure at the club alongside Germany international Thomas Muller, having captained them for the last three seasons.

Capped six times by Scotland, he was part of Steve Clarke’s squad at the European Championships in Germany two years ago. The playmaker began his career with Dundee United, where he was dubbed ‘the Scottish Messi’ due to his diminutive stature, creative flair, and close control as a teenager. He left Tannadice to make a major move to Portuguese giants Sporting CP for a fee of £3million in the summer of 2014, and spent time on loan to Vitoria de Setubal, Aves, Farenese and Hibs before moving to Vancouver in July 2021.

One of the league’s best teams, the Whitecaps were runners-up in last season’s MLS Playoff Final, and have started the current season in impressive form with eight wins from their first nine games. However, the club are believed to have struggled financially in the city, and has faced a battle in its search to build a new stadium, leading the club to consider a shock relocation in the near future.

An exclusive report from The Athletic on Tuesday claimed that a special committee of MLS owners had already met to discuss a potential relocation for the Whitecaps this month, with Las Vegas top of the list of candidates should the team opt to move away from Western Canada.

In response to the reports, the club issued a statement which said: “We are aware of today's reporting. The club has faced well-documented structural challenges around stadium economics, venue access, and revenue limitations that have made it difficult to attract buyers committed to keeping the team in Vancouver.

“Over the past 16 months, we have had serious conversations with more than 100 parties, and to date, no viable offer has emerged that would keep the club here. It remains the strong preference of this ownership group to find a solution in Vancouver. If there is a local ownership group with the vision and resources to chart a path forward, we urge them to come forward.”

One group of Las Vegas investors are believed to be interested in adding a new team to the league, with a $10billion investment plan on the city’s strip set to include a purpose-built 50,000 seater football stadium.

Should the proposal be passed, it would see Gauld and his teammates forced to relocate from their homes in Vancouver, and the city’s Mayor Ken Sim has pleaded with the Whitecaps ownership and the British Columbia provincial government to lay out the steps that will be required for the team to remain in Vancouver.

“We are calling on the team’s ownership to publicly and clearly articulate what they need to stay here in Vancouver, and we are calling on the provincial government to come to the table and make that a reality," Sim wrote on his official social media page. “We need you to stay strong, and we need you to stay loud. Losing the Whitecaps is not an option."

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