Unhappy at his contract demands, Toronto FC trades winger Tyrese Spicer to Orlando

Winnipeg Free Press

4 days ago

TORONTO – Unhappy at his contract demands, Toronto FC traded winger/wingback Tyrese Spicer to Orlando City SC on Friday in exchange for up to $550,000 (all figures in U.S. dollars) in general allocation money.
The 24-year-old Trinidad and Tobago international, the first overall pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, scored six goals and added two assists in 42 appearances across all competitions in his two seasons with Toronto.
'We would like to thank Tyrese for his time at the club over the past year and a half,' Toronto GM Jason Hernandez said in a statement. 'As our MLS SuperDraft pick, our intention was to continue working and growing with Tyrese. However, it was communicated that the player only wanted to continue with the club if certain contractual commitments and conditions were secured this summer.
'Unfortunately, the terms proposed were not acceptable to the club at this time; hence, we decided to find a mutually beneficial transaction for all parties involved. We wish Tyrese all the best in his future endeavours, and we will prepare to utilize the assets received in our future roster transactions.'
Spicer is making $83,122 this season, third lowest among TFC players.
His contract expires at the end of the season, although Toronto had club options in 2026 and '27. Faced with a contract impasse, the team opted to get something for him now rather than lose him for nothing.
Toronto gets $225,000 in general allocation money this year and $275,000 in 2026 — with an additional $50,000 in conditional GAM if certain performance-based metrics are met. Toronto will retain a sell-on percentage in the event of a future permanent transfer.
Spicer has won six caps for Trinidad and Tobago, making his senior debut in March in a CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification match against Cuba.
In going to Orlando (11-6-8), Spicer joins a club in sixth spot in the Eastern Conference, six places and 20 points ahead of Toronto (5-13-6).
'We're excited to welcome Tyrese to Orlando,' said Ricardo Moreira, Orlando's GM and sporting director. 'He's a hard-working, left-footed talent from the Trinidad and Tobago national team who brings additional depth and energy to our side.
'His relentless work rate and ability to stretch the field will give us a much-needed boost and add another dimension to our attack moving forward.'
Friday's deal was the first for TFC in the MLS secondary transfer window, which opened July 24. More moves are expected.
At his best, Spicer was a pacy winger able to cause headaches for opposition defenders.
He made his TFC debut off the bench in a 2-1 loss at New York City FC in March 2024. A week later, he scored 35 minutes into his first start, a 2-0 win over Atlanta United at BMO Field. Cutting off the left wing, Spicer drifted towards the penalty box and, taking a pass from Deandre Kerr, accelerated past a defender and beat Brad Guzan with a low shot to the corner.
Unable to secure regular playing time, Spicer was an on-and-off presence, however. His 21 league appearances this season included only seven starts. Last season, he started 13 games with six more appearances off the bench.
As a rookie, he was slowed by a sore big toe, the legacy of a small fracture suffered at Lipscomb, forcing him to see a specialist.
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Spicer was a surprise first overall pick out of Lipscomb University, somewhat of an unknown despite impressive college statistics.
In his final year at Lipscomb, Spicer was a United Soccer Coaches first-team all-American, the Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Year and a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy.
He led the ASUN with 14 goals and added three assists for a conference-leading 31 points. He had 29 goals and 18 assists in 57 career appearances for Lipscomb, which is based in Nashville.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025