Atlético Ottawa announced on Tuesday the signing of former Canada youth international defender Julian Dunn on a standard player contract through the end of the 2026 Canadian Premier League (CPL) season, with an option to extend through 2027.
Dunn, 25, is a product of the Toronto FC Academy and made his first-team debut in April 2018. Dunn made three first-team appearances for Toronto FC and four for Norway's first-tier side HamKam before moving to the CPL and joining Halifax Wanderers in 2024, where he made 15 appearances. Dunn also played for former CPL side Valour FC in 2022.
“Julian is a fantastic addition to the team as we prepare for the next stage of the Canadian Premier League season,” said J.D. Ulanowski, General Manager, Atlético Ottawa. “His defensive and physical abilities speak for themselves. He’s strong in the duel, powerful in the air and has good pace for a central defender. With his experience in Nova Scotia, Julian knows the league well and is ready to compete."
Dunn, who will wear #3 for Atlético, has represented Canada at multiple youth international levels. He was selected for the Canadian squad at the 2017 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, making his debut against Costa Rica and going on to feature in matches against Cuba and Suriname.
He later represented Canada at the 2018 Toulon Tournament with the U21 team and was also named to the Canada squad for the 2018 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. In 2020, Dunn earned a place on Canada's U23 provisional roster for the CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship.
“I’m a physical, fast defender that really enjoys defending and I like getting stuck in,” said Dunn. “I take pride in defending. I want to keep clean sheets, and obviously when I can, get on the scoresheet and contribute to the attack. It’s a great group of guys. I’ve played against a lot of them so there’s some history there as well. Ottawa is a great city with an amazing environment. Everyone knows about the great fans at TD Place, so it’ll be nice having them with me and not against me now.”
Innocent Contract Terminated, López loan expiry
Atlético Ottawa has today confirmed that goalkeeper Garissone Innocent has left the club following a Mutual Termination Agreement.
Innocent, 25, had been unavailable for selection due to a personal matter since May 5. Atlético Ottawa thanks Innocent for his time and contributions to the club and wishes him well for the future.
Meanwhile, Canada U20 international forward Santiago López is set to return to Pumas UNAM of Mexico’s first tier following the expiry of his loan deal.
López, 21, made five appearances for Atlético this season, providing one assist at TD Place. His loan expires on July 2, and Atlético thanks López for his contributions and professionalism during his time in Ottawa and remains excited to see his career grow in the coming years.