Canadian defender Klukowski signs with Manisaspor

Same country, new club. Canadian national-team efender Mike Klukowski has signed a two-year deal with Manisaspor, which finished in 10th position in the Turkish league last season. Mansiaspor is also home to Canadian winger Josh Simpson. Klukowski had been out of a club since March, when he left another Turkish side, MKE Ankaragucu, when the team failed to pay his wages. Klukowski is a vital piece of the Canadian back line, so being able to get rid of the “unattached” designation in the national team roster list is massive. Despite not playing club football since March, Klukowski was named to Canada’s initial 23-man roster for the June 1 friendly against Ecuador at BMO Field. Of those 23, three won’t make the trip to Detroit for the Gold Cup opener against the United States. Canadian national team coach Stephen Hart said last week he was confident Klukowski would be in excellent shape despite the layoff. ““He got himself in an environment where he was training,” said Hart. “We will see how he does at camp. He feels he will be OK. I know from the past, that if he couldn’t do it, he would tell me about it.”