The Halifax Wanderers have acquired Canadian U21 defender Adam Pearlman on a season-long loan from MLS side Toronto FC.
Pearlman, 19, has already racked up an impressive 73 appearances between MLS and MLS Next Pro, logging over 6000 minutes over the past three seasons. He made his MLS debut for Toronto FC in 2023.
“Adam is another promising young Canadian talent we are pleased to welcome to Halifax this season,” sporting director Matt Fegan said. “During his time so far in Toronto and for national youth teams, he has displayed a high technical ability and professionalism. We are looking forward to this collaboration with TFC on his continued development and thrilled Adam chose Wanderers among his many offers for this important next step of his career.”
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Pearlman moved to Canada at a young age, playing for several Toronto area clubs before earning an invitation to the Toronto FC academy in 2016. In 2022, Pearlman signed with TFC II in MLS Next Pro and made 22 appearances in his rookie season as TFC II advanced to the league’s semi-final.
This past season, Pearlman was an important member of Canada’s U20 Men’s National Team, making five starts during the team’s run through the Concacaf Under-20 Championship, along with an additional 24 appearances for TFC II. The Wanderers roster now includes three members of the latest Canada U20 squad, alongside Tavio Ciccarelli and Alessandro Biello. That U20 Canadian team also featured former Wanderers Ethan Schilte-Brown and Kimani Stewart-Baynes.
“Adam gives us an incredible combination of size and pace, which allows him to play anywhere across our backline,” Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar said. “He fits the profile of our team perfectly because he is great on the ball, making forward passes and finding splits. It’s amazing that he’s just 19 and has over 70 games of pro experience.”
As part of the agreement, Pearlman can not be recalled by Toronto FC during the Wanderers’ 2025 season. Pearlman’s on-field minutes contribute towards the club’s requirement of 2000 domestic U21 minutes during the regular season. However, as a loaned player, Pearlman’s minutes count for a maximum of 1,000 minutes towards that requirement.
Current Halifax Wanderers Roster
Goalkeepers: Aiden Rushenas, Rayane Yesli
Defenders: Jefferson Alphonse, Julian Dunn, Thomas Meilleur-Giguere, Nassim Mekideche, Adam Pearlman, Kareem Sow, Wesley Timoteo
Midfielders: Alessandro Biello, Lorenzo Callegari, Vitor Dias, Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, Isaiah Johnston, Giorgio Probo, Andre Rampersad, Sean Rea
Forwards: Jason Bahamboula, Yohan Baï, Tavio Ciccarelli, Tiago Coimbra, Ryan Telfer, Camilo Vasconcelos