Vanuatu United have continued building their squad for the next OFC Pro League season, confirming the signing of Danish goalkeeper William Tønning while also securing the return of experienced Vanuatu forward Tony Kaltack.
The two announcements represent different sides of the Chiefs’ ongoing recruitment work. Tønning arrives as a new addition after spending time on trial with the club during the recent two-match series against Central Coast Mariners in Port Vila, while Kaltack remains part of the project after featuring for Vanuatu United during the inaugural OFC Pro League campaign.
Tønning’s signing had appeared increasingly likely following his involvement against the Mariners. The 27-year-old started Vanuatu United’s historic 3-2 victory in the opening match at Freshwater Stadium, when the Chiefs fielded an almost entirely Ni-Vanuatu starting XI and the Danish-Canadian goalkeeper was the only overseas player included from the beginning.
Vanuatu United have now confirmed that his performances during the two-game series were enough to turn that trial into a permanent place in the squad.
The move brings considerable international experience to the goalkeeping department. Born in Denmark, Tønning has already played across several football environments, with spells in Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Denmark, Iceland and New Zealand. He became familiar to followers of Oceania football through Napier City Rovers, where he played during the 2024 season before later returning to New Zealand.
His recruitment also shows that, despite Vanuatu United’s increasingly local direction, the club remains prepared to bring in selected overseas players when they believe they can strengthen specific areas of the squad.
Tony Kaltack, meanwhile, provides continuity.
The Vanuatu international was already part of the Chiefs during their first OFC Pro League campaign and has now been confirmed for another season. The club announced that the striker had signed again, keeping an experienced attacking option within a squad that has changed considerably during the offseason.
Kaltack was part of the Vanuatu United side that recovered from a difficult start to reach the knockout phase of the inaugural professional competition. The Chiefs eventually progressed through the Challengers Group and defeated Bula FC 2-1 in the semi-final playoff before their campaign ended against South Melbourne.
His importance has also remained visible with the national team. Kaltack was selected for Vanuatu’s 2026 MSG Prime Minister’s Cup campaign and scored against Papua New Guinea in the opening round, despite the defending champions falling to a 2-1 defeat.
Keeping him therefore gives Vanuatu United a player already familiar with the demands of the Pro League while several new faces settle into the group.
The latest announcements add another layer to what has become one of the busiest rebuilds among the competition’s clubs. Vanuatu United have already confirmed a succession of local additions after extensive trials and training sessions in Port Vila, including Bong Kalo, Semici Kaltack, Joe Moses, Claude Aru, Jeffrey Tasso, Jacques Wanemut, Henry Namatak and Andrew Malakai.
Many of those players had already appeared with the Chiefs during the Mariners series before their moves were formally announced.
The emerging squad consequently combines three different elements: players retained from the first professional season, established Vanuatu footballers recruited from the domestic scene, and a smaller number of overseas additions such as Tønning.
For a club that relied on several foreign players during its inaugural campaign, the balance is beginning to look noticeably different. The Chiefs are increasingly building around players already familiar with Vanuatu football and the national-team environment, while using international recruitment more selectively.
Tønning and Tony Kaltack illustrate that approach particularly well. One arrives after earning his place during a trial; the other stays to provide experience and continuity from the club’s first year.
With Vanuatu United continuing to announce players individually, the final shape of the squad is still developing, but the direction ahead of their second OFC Pro League campaign is becoming increasingly clear.
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