Latest news with #InsigneBernardeschi
CTV News
17 hours ago
- Business
- CTV News
MLSE boss says cutting Italian stars loose from Toronto FC offers opportunity for MLS franchise
Toronto FC looks to put internal bickering behind it and end a tumultuous week on a winning note as D.C. United comes to town Saturday. Toronto FC's Lorenzo Insigne (right) and Federico Bernardeschi confer over a free kick during action MLS action against New York Red Bulls in Toronto on Wednesday May 17, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young TORONTO — In opening the MLSE vault to bring in Italian stars Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi midway through the 2022 MLS season, Toronto FC looked to change the struggling franchise's fortunes. It didn't happen. This week, the 4-10-5 team cut bait with the two designated players, agreeing to a mutual termination of contracts that ran through July 2026 for Insigne and December 2028 for Bernardeschi (who had previously triggered a contract extension). In other words, they agreed to a contract settlement less than the total money owed. Keith Pelley, president and CEO of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, sees the move as a necessary stepping-stone in the team's rebuild. 'The importance of the DP strategy in MLS is critical,' he said in an interview. 'And unfortunately, in the greatest of intentions, this strategy of bringing two high-profile Europeans doesn't fit the ethos of the club and our on-field identity going forward. So this provides us with the flexibility and the opportunity to make the changes that we believe are needed to make us a contender on an annual basis for the MLS Cup.' It comes with a massive bill, even for MLSE. The two players earned more than $64 million combined (all figures in U.S. dollars), not counting the unspecified contract settlement, since their debut. That outlay produced 22 regular-season wins and a long-distance view of the playoffs. Insigne and Bernardeschi, who played under four different coaches often with less-than-stellar service, combined for 45 goals and 40 assists in 175 games across all competitions in TFC colours. The departures leave Toronto with two open designated player spots, with the option of a third depending on what balance the club wants between DPs and U-22 initiative signings. GM Jason Hernandez says the club now has options. 'We just haven't had that conversation in quite some time because we were locked into a certain path. And now we no longer are. So it's a very different landscape today.' With the summer transfer window opening July 24, TFC is already eyeing new talent. Pelley said coach Robin Fraser was reviewing film of a possible target Tuesday night. And Hernandez said his phone has been busy since news of the Italians' departure broke. In cutting the Italians loose, TFC frees up their salary cap hits — pegged at $743,750 apiece, the maximum salary cap charge for a designated player — as well as half of the general allocation money involved. Pelley, who took charge of MLSE in April 2024, says despite the size of the payout, there will be funds to find new talent. 'I'm not going to get into the financials but it's a strong statement from ownership to allow us to negotiate a settlement with both players,' he said. 'We now will turn our attention to making the right move for the right player and to change the DP strategy moving forward.' Added Hernandez: 'I think the commitment will continue in the investment space. It will just be dedicated and allocated much more efficiently.' With a salary of $15.4 million, Insigne ranked second on the MLS pay scale behind only Lionel Messi's $20.5 million. Bernardeschi ranked sixth at $6.295 million. The next highest-paid Toronto player is Norwegian striker Ola Brynhildsen at $1,629,610. Seven players are earning less than $100,000. Fraser suggested the salary discrepancy between the Italians and the rest of the squad did not help foster team spirit. 'If the salaries are closer to being in line with the rest of the group — or even the rest of the league — I think it builds more of a team feeling,' Fraser said. 'And that's the thing that's really important — being able to make sure that the team functions like a team.' 'The key is that whatever we do in terms of spending, we need to bring in people that are going to continue to enhance the team feeling,' he added. 'Just by the disparity of salaries alone, there can be a sense of a great division within the team.' Norwegian defender Sigurd Rosted, however, had a different view. 'To be honest, players don't think about paycheque at all. That's more media, you guys, and probably the fans as well,' said Rosted, whose salary of $805,000 works out to about five per cent of Insigne's pay 'As teammates they always did everything they could for the club. They always worked hard,' he added. 'So as players they were amazing. As individuals they were amazing as well, so of course we're going to miss them.' Talks had been ongoing with Insigne's camp for 'probably a few transfer windows,' said Hernandez. But transfers to clubs in Italy, Spain, Turkey and Brazil were not accepted. Talks with Bernardeschi, meanwhile, started 'the last several weeks.' 'Both happened to come to fruition at the same time,' said Hernandez, who was promoted to GM from assistant GM in June 2023. Bill Manning, who oversaw the acquisition of the Italians as team president, was fired in July 2024. For Fraser, there is clarity now. 'The club has wanted to move in a direction of prioritizing looking at players for next year, evaluating the guys we have on loan, certainly evaluating the younger players,' he said. 'With injuries and that we're starting to see more and more of what we have.' Hernandez called Saturday's 3-0 win over the visiting Portland Timbers 'hopefully a small glimpse of actually what we want to look like on the pitch.' TFC starts life without the Italians on Thursday against New York City FC at Yankee Stadium. NYCFC (8-7-4) currently sits ninth in the Eastern Conference, occupying the last playoff position, four places and 11 points above Toronto. Seven of those New York wins have come at home (7-1-1). New York forward Alonso Martínez returns from international duty with Costa Rica but goalkeeper Matt Freese, the hero of the American penalty shootout quarterfinal win over Honduras, is still at the Gold Cup. Fraser said defenders Nicksoen Gomis, Zane Monlouis and Henry Wingo remain long-term casualties. Defenders Richie Laryea, back from Gold Cup duty with Canada, and Kobe Franklin are available for selection while midfielders Jonathan Osorio and Markus Cimermancic are nearing a return to action. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 2,2 2025 Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
CBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Arrivederci. Toronto FC buys out hefty contracts of Italy's Insigne, Bernardeschi
Toronto FC is parting ways with Italian designated players Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi, ending an expensive and unsuccessful partnership. The struggling Major League Soccer club said their contracts had been mutually terminated, with TFC using its two permitted buyouts of their guaranteed deals. "After several meaningful discussions, we are happy to have found a solution that is agreeable to all parties involved," Toronto GM Jason Hernandez said in a brief statement Tuesday. The two Italian designated players arrived to much fanfare — with paycheques to match — midway through the 2022 season. But they could not return the club to its former glory. Insigne, 34, was making $15.4 million US this season, second only to Lionel Messi's $20.5 million. Bernardeschi, 31, was earning $6.295 million this season, sixth-best in MLS. Insigne's contract ran through June 2026 with an option for the remainder of the year, while Bernardeschi's deal covered 2026 with option years through 2028. It was not money well spent. Playoff struggles Toronto (4-10-5) currently sits 13th in the 15-team Eastern Conference, four places and 11 points below the playoff line, and 26th overall in the 30-team league. It has not made the playoffs since 2020, when it stumbled at the first hurdle. Their departure means Toronto is without a designated player, with two such spots available. Under MLS roster rules, a designated player aged at least 24 only carries a salary budget charge of $743,750, no matter how much they are paid. "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 and CEO Keith Pelley. Insigne scored 19 goals and added 18 assists in 76 games for Toronto across all competitions. That includes one goal and three assists in 12 appearances this season. Bernardeschi scored 26 goals and added 22 assists in 99 appearances across all competitions. An all-star in 2024, he has four goals and four assists through 15 matches this season. Bernardeschi offered a parting message via social media. "Every single day on the pitch, I gave everything I had. All my passion. All my drive. All of myself. I never held back," he wrote. "I gave everything for this shirt, for this city, for its fans." "Now a new journey begins for me," he added. "A new chapter, a new challenge. But the bond with this city, with its people, will forever live in my heart. Toronto FC, MLS: thank you for this extraordinary adventure. This is not goodbye. It's see you soon." Bernardeschi has been linked to a move to Italy's Bologna. Insigne sat out the last two TFC games. He did not make it off the bench in a 1-1 draw with the New York Red Bulls and did not dress for Saturday's 3-0 win over Portland. At the time, Toronto coach Robin Fraser said the club wanted to give other players a chance. Toronto sat Insigne for the first four games of this season after failed attempts to move him to clubs in Italy, Spain, Turkey and Brazil. Insigne kept training with the first team while out of favour. "It wasn't a happy time for me," he told The Canadian Press in May. "But I'm not going to keep thinking about it." "I've always been happy here, and as long as my contract lasts, I'm going to do the best I can to make us win," he added. The club eventually returned him to action, but with one goal and three assists in 12 league outings, he did not make much of an impact. Bernardeschi has not played since May 24 when he picked up a fifth yellow card that earned him a one-game suspension. He missed the last three games with what Fraser described as a "lingering" injury. At his best, the flamboyant Bernardeschi was a sight to behold, marauding down the wing and heading towards goal, looking to unleash his dangerous left boot. But with 26 yellow and four red cards in 88 league appearances, he was also volatile and somewhat unreliable. Insigne showed only flashes of past brilliance that earned him the nickname "Il Magnifico." Injuries and family health issues did not help. Unlike Bernardeschi, who was able to converse in English, Insigne's limited language skills meant his side of the story was rarely heard. In May, however, he said he was going to finish out his contract. "With the money I earn, I could just sit down, I could have said, 'Who cares? I make a lot of money. I don't have to do anything,"' Insigne said in an interview with The Canadian Press. "But that's not who I am. I'm going to always, every day, come and work hard. And as long as my contract's here, that is my goal at the end — I'm here to work hard and respect everybody." Hopes were high when the two made their debut in July 2022, when Bernardeschi scored one goal and set up another and Insigne collected a stylish assist in a 4-0 romp over expansion Charlotte FC. The Italians' debut drew an announced sellout of 29,067, well above the average of 23,676 over the previous 11 home matches that season. Compare that to the 14,019 that Toronto drew this season for a 1-0 home loss to FC Cincinnati on May 14. The two Italians reportedly bumped heads with former coach Bob Bradley. John Herdman, who succeeded Bradley. converted Bernardeschi to wingback with Fraser returning him to his more accustomed winger position. Bernardeschi arrived with a Grade-A resume. "We are thrilled to add Federico to our team," said Bill Manning, TFC's president at the time. "As a player and a person, we believe he's exactly what we need right now, both on the field and in the locker room. Federico has proven himself to be a champion and a leader at Juventus and for the Italian national team and brings a pedigree to Toronto that's second to none." Manning, fired by Pelley in July as president of TFC and the Toronto Argonauts, famously said he settled on Insigne after seeing the local interest in Italy's run to the European championship. "I actually went to the Transfermarkt website and I looked up the Italian national team on what players were coming out of contract," Manning told reporters. "And Lorenzo was one of the few players that was coming out of contract. I started writing down players that I thought were world-class, that I thought would have commercial value in this market." Insigne arrived from Napoli, where he captained the side. He made a combined 416 appearances for the Serie A club, scoring 114 goals with 95 assists across all competitions. He scored 10 goals in 53 appearances for Italy. But he never seemed to find a fit with Toronto. Bernardeschi arrived from Juventus, where he had spent five seasons after joining from Fiorentina. He scored six goals in 38 appearances for the Italian national team, including the winning penalty in the shootout to seal Italy's win over England in the 2020 UEFA European Championship final (played in 2021).
Al Arabiya
2 days ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Toronto Cuts High-Priced Wingers Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi
Major League Soccer's Toronto FC cut its two-highest paid players, announcing mutual agreements Tuesday to terminate the contracts of wingers Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi. Insigne, MLS's highest-paid player until Miami signed Lionel Messi in 2023, had guaranteed compensation of $15.4 million, second to Messi. Bernardeschi was sixth in the league at $6,295,381, and their combined salaries were 64 percent of Toronto's $34.1 million payroll, second to Miami's $46.8 million. For all the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app. 'After several meaningful discussions, we are happy to have found a solution that is agreeable to all parties involved,' Toronto general manager Jason Hernandez said in a statement. Both players joined Toronto in July 2022 – Insigne from Napoli and Bernardeschi from Juventus. Insigne, 34, had a contract through June 2026 with an option for the remainder of that year. Bernardeschi, 31, had a deal through 2026 with two option years. Insigne had 19 goals and 18 assists in 76 games in all competitions, including one goal and three assists in 12 appearances this season. Bernardeschi had 26 goals and 22 assists in 99 appearances, including four goals and four assists in 15 matches this season. He has not played since May 24. Toronto has four wins, 10 losses and five ties, 13th in the 15-team Eastern Conference and 26th among the 30 teams overall. It has not made the playoffs since 2020. Both were designated players whose salaries counted only as $743,750 each toward the team's salary budget.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Toronto cuts high-priced wingers Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi
FILE - Toronto FC's Lorenzo Insigne (24) talks with teammate Federico Bernardeschi (10) before an MLS soccer match against Charlotte FC in Toronto, July 23, 2022. (Chris Young/The Canadian Press via AP, File) TORONTO (AP) — Major League Soccer's Toronto FC cut its two-highest paid players, announcing mutual agreements Tuesday to terminate the contracts of wingers Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi. Insigne, MLS's highest-paid player until Miami signed Lionel Messi in 2023, had guaranteed compensation of $15.4 million. second to Messi. Bernardeschi was sixth in the league at $6,295,381 and their combined salaries were 64% of Toronto's $34.1 million payroll, second to Miami's $46.8 million. Advertisement 'After several meaningful discussions, we are happy to have found a solution that is agreeable to all parties involved,' Toronto general manager Jason Hernandez said in a statement. Both players joined Toronto in July 2022, Insigne from Napoli and Bernardeschi from Juventus. Insigne, 34, had a contract through June 2026 with an option for the remainder of that year. Bernardeschi, 31, had a deal through 2026 with two option years. Insigne had 19 goals and 18 assists in 76 games in all competitions, including one goal and three assists in 12 appearances this season. Bernardeschi had 26 goals and 22 assists in 99 appearances, including four goals and four assists in 15 matches this season. He has not played since May 24. Advertisement Toronto has four wins, 10 losses and five ties, 13th in the 15-team Eastern Conference and 26th among the 30 teams overall. It has not made the playoffs since 2020. Both were designated players, whose salaries counted only as $743,750 each toward the team's salary budget. ___ AP soccer:
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
Toronto cuts high-priced wingers Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi
TORONTO (AP) — Major League Soccer's Toronto FC cut its two-highest paid players, announcing mutual agreements Tuesday to terminate the contracts of wingers Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi. Insigne, MLS's highest-paid player until Miami signed Lionel Messi in 2023, had guaranteed compensation of $15.4 million. second to Messi. Bernardeschi was sixth in the league at $6,295,381 and their combined salaries were 64% of Toronto's $34.1 million payroll, second to Miami's $46.8 million. 'After several meaningful discussions, we are happy to have found a solution that is agreeable to all parties involved,' Toronto general manager Jason Hernandez said in a statement. Both players joined Toronto in July 2022, Insigne from Napoli and Bernardeschi from Juventus. Insigne, 34, had a contract through June 2026 with an option for the remainder of that year. Bernardeschi, 31, had a deal through 2026 with two option years. Insigne had 19 goals and 18 assists in 76 games in all competitions, including one goal and three assists in 12 appearances this season. Bernardeschi had 26 goals and 22 assists in 99 appearances, including four goals and four assists in 15 matches this season. He has not played since May 24. Toronto has four wins, 10 losses and five ties, 13th in the 15-team Eastern Conference and 26th among the 30 teams overall. It has not made the playoffs since 2020. Both were designated players, whose salaries counted only as $743,750 each toward the team's salary budget. ___ AP soccer:
