Soccer
TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Mutual contract termination & buyout
Toronto FC and winger Federico Bernardeschi have mutually agreed to terminate his contract, the club announced Tuesday.
To complete the transaction, Toronto utilized one of their two buyouts of a guaranteed contract on Bernardeschi. Each club has two buyouts per season.
Hours after this move, Toronto also mutually parted ways with fellow Italian international winger Lorenzo Insigne. The Designated Players were among the highest-paid players in the league.
“After internal discussions with Federico, we were aligned that this was the correct moment to part ways,” said TFC general manager Jason Hernandez.
“We would like to thank Fede for his contributions to Toronto FC over the past three years and wish him the best in the next chapter of his career.”
Time in Toronto
Bernardeschi produced 26 goals and 22 assists in 99 matches across all competitions. He was named a 2024 MLS All-Star.
The 31-year-old joined Toronto midway through the 2022 season, arriving from Serie A side Juventus.
Bernardeschi was brought in under former club president Bill Manning and head coach Bob Bradley. Now, Hernandez is at the helm and hired head coach Robin Fraser ahead of the 2025 campaign.
“The Designated Player strategy is a critical component to Toronto FC’s success in Major League Soccer and the club will continue to prioritize TFC’s short, medium and long-term strategy in the weeks ahead,” said MLSE president & CEO Keith Pelley.
Looking forward
Toronto last made the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs in 2020 under now-LA Galaxy manager Greg Vanney. Beforehand, they won MLS Cup 2017 as part of a historic treble that included Supporters’ Shield and Canadian Championship titles.
The Reds are currently 13th in the Eastern Conference standings (4W-10L-5D), 11 points below the playoff line.
The MLS Secondary Transfer Window spans from July 24 to Aug. 21, allowing clubs to make summer signings from within the league or abroad.
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