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Jeff Carlisle
Vancouver Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster said defender Tristan Blackmon completed his entrance medical on Thursday, and would accompany the team to its preseason training camp in Marbella, Spain.
The disclosure came one day after ESPN reported that Blackmon, the reigning MLS Defender of the Year, didn’t show up for a scheduled physical on Wednesday.
This came in the wake of Vancouver rejecting a cash transfer of $3 million from Inter Miami CF just over a week ago. Schuster issued a denial that a deal was almost complete, and said that the club was working on a new contract for Blackmon.
«I’m wondering why we have so much noise about [Blackmon],» Schuster told reporters Thursday. «We have medicals yesterday and today. [Blackmon] is in and is doing his medicals or is done already with his medicals. He was here early morning and tomorrow we fly to Spain. That’s everything I have to say to it.»
In an interview with ESPN, Schuster said he didn’t know the particulars of the schedule by which players went through their medical evaluations, and thus couldn’t confirm if Blackmon missed his physical on Wednesday. When asked if Blackmon was sanctioned in any way for missing a physical, Schuster said. «I don’t confirm anything about yesterday because honestly, how often players are missing something over the season, or some are somewhere late and it’s not always [reported].»
Schuster said that discussions on a new contract for Blackmon had begun, but «not on a pace that anyone should expect that we have a solution next week or two, because right now what we … also have to work on those guys that we want to bring in, and those guys that we want to have in preseason as new players.»
Blackmon’s current deal runs through the end of 2027.
Schuster added that Miami’s interest in Blackmon is all part of doing business, especially around this time of year, and that he wasn’t interested in any kind of tampering investigation.
«I have actually since then, two calls with Miami yesterday … and there’s nothing between the two clubs,» he told reporters. «They respect our position and it’s also fair. And that’s another thing where I really want to explain the market and everyone that that is somehow normal.
«We are speaking about one player because the club has shown interest and I’m already so transparent to share that this happened. We had that for six players. We have a few other players in our team that are here and reporting and preparing right now.»
Blackmon was a mainstay along the Vancouver backline last year, helping the Whitecaps reach the final of both the Concacaf Champions League and MLS Cup. According to data from the MLS Players Association, Blackmon made $800,000 in guaranteed compensation last season, which ranked 37th among MLS center-backs.
Blackmon’s career has blossomed in Vancouver since the Whitecaps acquired him in 2022, following a four-season stint with LAFC. In addition to being named Defender of the Year in 2025, Blackmon was named an MLS All-Star and earned his first two caps with the U.S. men’s national team last September.
