Yohei Takaoka, the first-choice goalkeeper of J. League champions Yokohama F. Marinos, is set to join Major League Soccer's Vancouver Whitecaps FC, sources familiar with the matter said Saturday.
The 26-year-old Takaoka played all 34 league matches in Marinos' title-winning campaign last year and was named among the J. League Best XI for the first time in his career.
The 2023 MLS season begins in late February.
"Takaoka leaves the team on Feb. 4 for talks on a planned transfer to an overseas club and related preparations," Marinos said in a press release the same day.
Takaoka joined Marinos late in 2020 after stints with Yokohama FC and Sagan Tosu.
Whitecaps FC were ninth in the 14-team Western Conference last season.
