That and we're pretty tapped for salary room and I think both our DP and International allocations are full. I don't believe the team will be making any more large moves this season.
Me too - and I think that outside whoever made it into MLS teams before the outbreak - lineups will be pretty static across the league.
Unless that rumour - which I'm starting right now - about TFC stealing Jonathan David from Gent turns out to be true.
Achara just ended his season on an injury. https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020...elder-achara-suffers-season-ending-acl-injury
TFC is bringing in some defensive help: https://www.torontofc.ca/post/2020/09/14/toronto-fc-acquires-tony-gallacher-loan/1 For once a younger international.
TFC's draft picks: https://www.torontofc.ca/post/2021/...rofts-rothrock-and-maples-2021-mls-superdraft We got a defender with our first pick which fits well with the team's needs. After that it looks like just taking the best available players. I assume all of these players will be heading for TFC II if they get signed at all. In fact, given how much talent TFC II has been producing and how tight the team is up against the cap, I'm a bit surprised TFC didn't simply trade away all its draft picks for allocation money. We already have several young players who we're having difficulty finding first team minutes for. An extra $100 or $150 k in allocation money might have been more useful. (I am aware they got $50 k but that doesn't bring in a new player.)
So it's now February and the team hasn't made any additions yet. There is a rumour about Altidore possibly leaving (or not): https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2021...ed-about-availability-toronto-fc-forward-jozy There is a rumour about a possible player from Argentina: https://www.wakingthered.com/2021/1/31/22257646/toronto-fc-linked-to-river-plate-forward-borre We're getting pretty late in the year for only having rumours, however.
And one week further on the only articles on the team website are about how much Gallacher enjoyed his time here last year and how our eMLS team is doing.
Another week, another non-signing. The best we have is some more rumour: https://www.wakingthered.com/2021/2...ted-player-will-bring-back-justin-morrow-2021
In an actual signing of sorts, TFC re-signs Morrow and Zavaleta. https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2021/02/23/toronto-fc-re-sign-stalwart-defender-justin-morrow While respecting their past contributions, these are both aging players who should, at best, be providing depth. Personally, I'd prefer to see those minutes going to young prospects. We already have enough aging veterans to provide mentorship. What we need is meaningful playing time for the youth to convert them from bench players to starters.
I'm not going to pretend I follow world soccer well enough to know anything about this guy, but he seems interesting: https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2021...inked-river-plate-forward-rafael-santos-borre
I think we have a pretty good group of young guys and I really hope they put the work in to push in and become starters for us.
We do. Their ability to become starters will have more to do with Armas' willingness to play them (which we don't know) than with their willingness to put in the work (which is high). Of course, with another signingless week behind us, Armas may not have a choice.
https://www.wakingthered.com/2021/3...borre-river-plate-stiker-wants-move-to-europe We offered $20million paid over 3 years, a better offer than Palmeiras is this report is to be believed. States he's looking for a move to Europe. I wouldn't categorize this as finished but I don't think this is a move that gets completed over the next month. Looks like a saga where if he ends up with us it'll be in the summer.
Ali Curtis has signed a contract extension: https://www.torontofc.ca/post/2021/...general-manager-ali-curtis-contract-extension Now maybe he can actually go sign a player?
Bill Manning talking about a shift toward TFC playing its youth: https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2021/03/24/toronto-fc-all-playyourkids-movement-2021 Not that the team considers my opinion, but I have been advocating for this for some time. The current process of bringing kids up through the system to the first team bench but never giving them real first team minutes is very wasteful. That said, the cynic in me hears, "We haven't been able to get a new DP that we really want so we're going to spin it as playing the kids." The proof will be whether the kids actually get real time this season or stay on the bench while guys like Zavaleta (28), Mavinga (29), and DeLeon (30) keep the starting minutes.
It’s prolly a bit of each, and I’m ok with the youth movement choice with options to add a bigger piece mid season if it makes sense.
After outing himself as an anti-vaxxing covid-denying nutter, I can only assume there'll be an movement soon. https://torontosun.com/sports/socce...an-nick-deleon-throws-down-hammer-at-covid-19
Definitely in the rumour category, but Laryea to Besiktas is being mentioned: https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/report-toronto-fc-s-richie-laryea-drawing-interest-from-besiktas I guess anyone would be for sale for enough money, but TFC would presumably need to be convinced to let him go given their defensive player realities.
Mavinga needs to play every minute he’s healthy. He’s the best defender we have by a mile. DeLeon and Zav hardly play as it is.
The latest rumour on a potential DP: https://www.wakingthered.com/2021/4...-23-year-old-santos-attacker-yeferson-soteldo