Good Friday morning Caps fans, hope you all are having a good week and that you have a love (or candy) filled Valentine’s Day.

If you’re in need of a last minute present for the person in your life who happens to be a Whitecaps fan there is some good news. The Whitecaps rolled out their new home kit on Thursday after a leak had been swirling around for a couple of weeks.

Overall, the impression you get with the new “The Peak” jersey is … it is very similar to the old hoop kit.

That’s a good thing — the hoop motif is not only a historical relic, it also has become a consistent design theme for the Caps, one that is easily recognizable. Think Atlanta United’s five stripes or Portland’s forest green kits.

I’m not a big fan of the Adidas template for 2025, as the weird piping on the side looks a bit funny to me. That being said, this is one of the best versions of that template that I’ve seen pop up anywhere. The Whitecaps consistently have some of the best kits in the league and that’s largely because of a reliable color scheme and a clear visual identity. This jersey is more of the same.

I’m not likely to buy this kit (I have an older hoop kit that will be staying in my rotation for awhile). And this one will probably never crack the elite tier of Whitecaps jerseys (arbutus brown, anyone?). But it is a solid effort, one that doesn’t attempt to do too much or reinvent the wheel. And that is generally a good thing when it comes to jerseys.

Oh by the way, the Caps took out an advance on those kit sales and used it to close the $1 million signing of Emmanuel Sabbi from Le Havre in Ligue 1. We’ve discussed this signing and player before, both in this column and elsewhere on the blog, but the more I learn about it, the more I am a fan.

I think expecting Sabbi to match Fafa Picault’s production from last year might be tough for a guy moving to a new league but his profile makes it seem like a good fit for the Caps’ play style and for being able to easily make the jump. Ligue 1 has been a happy hunting ground, both for Vancouver and the rest of MLS in recent years and I feel like Sabbi could be looked back on as a bargain.

It sounds like the Valentine’s Day shopping isn’t over, with the Caps reportedly set to announce the signing of MLS veteran striker Daniel Rios. I’ll give a fuller take on Monday (and Caleb has a deep dive coming up) but I like this move as a cheap, domestic backup for Brian White — one who has more proven MLS success than a lot of other forward depth pieces the Caps have tried.

Shameless Self Promotion

As the Caps look for a Stuart Armstrong replacement, why not go back to the well on free agents? Caleb Wilkins takes his sensible transfers series to look at out of contract players.

Best of the Rest

More on the Rios signing from Transfermarkt, who first reported the news.

10 men Cavalry saw their fairytale in the CONCACAF Champions Cup end Thursday night with a loss to Pumas in Mexico City. Meanwhile, Forge were officially eliminated after a 3-0 loss to Monterrey.

The United Soccer League will launch a first division. There are lots of kinks to be worked out but it poses the first threat to MLS in a long time.

FC Dallas bought star playmaker Luciano Acosta, freeing up FC Cincinnati to poach Evander from Portland.