Latest news with #MLSSuperDraft
Winnipeg Free Press
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Midfielder Malik Henry earns promotion, signs first-team contract with Toronto FC
TORONTO – Toronto FC has signed Canadian midfielder Malik Henry to a first team-contract through 2025 with club options for 2026 and 2027. The 23-year-old from Hamilton has already made two appearances for the first team, signing three short-term agreements and making his MLS debut against New York Red Bulls on June 25. 'We are happy to promote Malik to the first team for the remainder of the 2025 season,' Toronto GM Jason Hernandez said in a statement. 'He has been a top performer for our MLS Next Pro team this season and continues to grow with each opportunity given in our senior team environment. We look forward to his continued work and growth within our system.' Henry signed with Toronto FC II on March 4 and leads the reserve team with five assists in 18 appearances, including 12 starts, during the 2025 MLS Next Pro regular season. Henry was selected in the second round (39th overall) by CF Montréal in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft after a collegiate career split between the University of North Carolina (2020) and University of Akron (2021-2024). Prior to his NCAA career, he spent three years in the Toronto FC academy, playing across the U-15, U-16, and U-17 age groups, after playing youth soccer with Hamilton United. Henry has represented Canada at the under-15 level. The signing announcement was made prior to Toronto's game at the Philadelphia Union on Saturday. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. —- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2025
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Toronto FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson sidelined as he goes through concussion protocol
TORONTO – Toronto FC will be without goalkeeper Sean Johnson when it visits the league-leading Philadelphia Union on Saturday. The 36-year-old 'keeper, one of the team's bright spots this season, is going through concussion protocol after taking a knock in training last week. 'He should be fine by early next week,' said Toronto coach Robin Fraser. Backup Luka Gavran will start with 20-year-old Adisa De Rosario, the son of Canada Soccer Hall of Famer Dwayne De Rosario, on the bench. — Toronto general manager Jason Hernandez provided some details Friday on the departure of Trinidad and Tobago international Tyrese Spicer, traded to Orlando City last week for up to US$550,000 in general allocation money. At the time, Toronto said Spicer's camp had told the team 'the player only wanted to continue with the club if certain contractual commitments and conditions were secured this summer,' adding those terms were unacceptable. The 24-year-old Spicer, the first overall pick in the 20-24 MLS SuperDraft, was making a modest US$83,122 this season — the last on his contract — and wanted a lot more from TFC, it appears. Toronto was not inclined to give it to him and agreed to a move, despite holding club options on him for 2026 and 2027. 'The reality is when you get a phone call on the player's behalf that the player needs four times or five times his deal by the end of the summer or he would like to be moved, it's not even a very difficult conversation at that point in time,' said Hernandez. __ Hernandez says the future of forward Cassius Mailula should soon be made clear. The 24-year-old was sent out on loan to Moroccan club Wydad Athletic Club in April 2024 with the option of a permanent transfer for Mailula when the loan ended last month. Hernandez said Toronto had since given Mailula some time off. 'We've been re-engaged with him and his representation about what steps are to come,' said the GM. 'So there's a likelihood I would say in the short-term of a full kind of resolution, whether that's the player reintegrating with us and returning to Toronto or finding a next opportunity that actually might make sense for both parties. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'So that's ongoing and I think we'll have a resolution sooner rather than later.' The South African international made just eight appearances for Toronto with two goals and one assist across all competitions since joining the team in July 2023 as part of Major League Soccer's under-22 initiative. Mailula joined Toronto FC from South Africa's Mamelodi Sundowns FC. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2025
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Toronto FC sends forward Charlie Sharp to USL's Tampa Bay Rowdies on loan
TORONTO – Toronto FC has loaned forward Charlie Sharp to the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the USL Championship for the remainder of the 2025 season. The move should give the 24-year-old Sharp more playing time and a taste of life in a different environment. The six-foot-five striker has seen just 105 minutes of action in six MLS games this season, including one start, while also playing for TFC 2. 'One of the things I said to Charlie, specially as a young forward, is you have to play where you have real pressure to score,' said Toronto coach Robin Fraser. 'When you get these opportunities, you have to put them away. And if you don't, there are real consequences, more so than even playing for the (Toronto) second team where it's more about developmental philosophy.' 'Part of learning to be pro is embracing that pressure, the pressure of winning and losing that I don't think you necessarily get when you're with a second team,' he added. 'So to put him out some place where you have people whose livelihoods depend on it, then I think it's the way to really test yourself in a pressure-filled environment.' Toronto selected Sharp in the third round (61st overall) in the 2023 MLS SuperDraft out of Western Michigan University. He signed three short-term agreements with the first team during the 2024 season, making his debut against Nashville on May 15. The native of Brighton, Mich., signed a first-team contract on Sept. 17, 2024, and has one assist in eight appearances in total. Sharp spent five seasons at Western Michigan, scoring 42 goals and adding 22 assists in 89 appearances. As a senior, he led NCAA Division I ranks with 19 goals and was the first MAC Hermann Trophy finalist in Western Michigan's men's program history. Toronto forward Hugo Mbongue (Vancouver FC) and defender Adam Pearlman (Halifax Wanderers) are both currently out on loan in the Canadian Premier League. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Tampa (5-10-2) currently sits bottom of the USL Championship's 12-team Eastern Conference. The Rowdies roster includes former Forge FC forward Woobens Pacius, who is on loan from Nashville SC. Pacius led Forge in scoring with 32 goals in 93 appearances across all competitions in three seasons with the CPL side. Aa native of Terrebonne, Quebec, Pacius spent time in CF Montreal's academy. — This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2025
Hamilton Spectator
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Hamilton Spectator
Unhappy at his contract demands, Toronto FC trades winger Tyrese Spicer to Orlando
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. 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. —- This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 1, 2025
Toronto Star
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Toronto Star
Unhappy at his contract demands, Toronto FC trades winger Tyrese Spicer to Orlando
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.
