The Halifax Wanderers have signed Canadian goalkeeper Rayane Yesli to a contract for the 2025 Canadian Premier League Season with a club option for 2026.
Yesli, 25, comes to Halifax after spending the past season with Atlético Ottawa. He has established himself as a top goalkeeper in the CPL over his three seasons in the league, earning a nomination for the Golden Glove award for the league’s best goalkeeper in 2023. That season, Yesli led all first-choice keepers in save percentage.
“We’re delighted to welcome Rayane to Halifax, a quality Canadian goalkeeper who is already very familiar with the demands of the CPL,” sporting director Matt Fegan said. “At 25 he fits a profile our staff were targeting with his best years ahead of him.”
Born in Algeria before moving to Montreal at a young age, Yesli would eventually be invited into the CF Montreal Academy ahead of a move to Italy with US Vibonese Calcio. After joining the Université de Montréal in 2020, Yesli was selected third overall in the 2021 CPL – U SPORTS Draft by Valour FC. He would serve as the league’s emergency goalkeeper during ‘The Kickoff’ when the CPL opened the 2021 season in Winnipeg before joining AS Blainville and playing against the Wanderers in the Canadian Championship.
Yesli signed with Valour FC in 2022, spending two seasons at the Winnipeg-based club and making 37 appearances across all competitions. He joined Atlético Ottawa for the 2024 season with 11 appearances and four clean sheets.
The @AllstateCanada Save of the Match goes to Rayane Yesli of @ValourFootball, for his unreal save against Manjrekar James as @ForgeFCHamilton tried to gain momentum in the second half 🧤 #CanPL | 📺 @onesoccer pic.twitter.com/vlLLQqrgYI
— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) June 17, 2023
Standing six-foot-eight, Yesli adds an immediate aerial presence to compliment a Wanderers back line that includes Jefferson Alphonse, Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, Nassim Mekideche and Kareem Sow.
“Rayane is a player we are excited to add to our group and comes in ready to help take us to the next level on the pitch in 2025,” Wanderers head coach Patrice Gheisar said. “He’s shown a willingness to compete for opportunities and adds a lot of experience, confidence, and familiarity with several of our players.”
Current Halifax Wanderers Roster (updated Jan. 8)
Goalkeepers: Aiden Rushenas, Rayane Yesli
Defenders: Jefferson Alphonse, Thomas Meilleur-Giguere, Nassim Mekideche, Kareem Sow, Wesley Timoteo
Midfielders: Vitor Dias, Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, Giorgio Probo, Andre Rampersad
Forwards: Tavio Ciccarelli, Tiago Coimbra, Massimo Ferrin, Sean Rea, Ryan Telfer, Camilo Vasconcelos