Atlético Ottawa revealed their second-ever signing on Thursday, announcing that they've added teenager and local sensation Antoine Coupland to their inaugural roster. The 16-year-old from the Ottawa area (Chelsea, Que., to be exact — a small town in the Outaouais region, just north of the nation's capital) might be a familiar name to local supporters. Coupland made local headlines last July by making his first appearance for the Ottawa Fury at the age of 15. He entered as a substitute in the 85th minute of a 4-0 win over Swope Park Rangers at TD Place Stadium on July 21. Coupland, the youngest player ever to suit up for the Fury, made three substitute appearances for the USL side last season, all before he turned 16 in December. RELATED READING: Atlético Ottawa’s Antoine Coupland finds ‘great honour’ as youngest CPLer "It’s a great honour to be the youngest player the league. It’s a great honour and a good opportunity. It sends a great message to youth players here (in Canada), saying it’s possible. The CPL is a good pathway here and across Canada to become professional," Coupland told CanPL.ca. He later added: "I’m excited to grow under (Atlético coach) Mista. It will start from this pre-season. As a team we need to get that mix of Canadian and international and find that chemistry from the start." Coupland, a left-footed midfielder, was reportedly offered a trial at English Premier League side Sheffield United last summer prior to signing a pro contract with the Fury. Before then, he'd spent five years developing with local amateur club St. Anthony Futuro Soccer Academy. "Having Antoine join Atlético Ottawa is exciting," club CEO Fernando Lopez said. "He is a young talent with incredible potential. Having made his professional debut at the age of 15 is a testament to his passion and drive for the game and we are looking forward to working with him to develop his talent." RELATED READING: Atlético Ottawa signs Canadian veteran Ben Fisk as its first player The CPL's newest team has now announced two signings for the 2020 season, with former Pacific FC star Ben Fisk announced as the first on Wednesday afternoon. The club, led by coach Mista, will be conducting their pre-season training camp in Spain at the facilities of parent organization, La Liga outfit Club Atlético de Madrid. They'll continue to announce players over the next few weeks prior to beginning the season Saturday, April 18 in Hamilton against Forge FC. Atlético Ottawa's home opener is May 15 vs. HFX Wanderers FC.

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