Can the Signing of Lorenzo Insigne Transform Toronto FC’s Fortunes?
The footballing world was stunned this January when Toronto FC pulled off one of the most sensational transfers in the history of the MLS. Italian international Lorenzo Insigne, fresh from winning the European Championships with his country and after a 16-year stint with Napoli, has agreed terms on a deal rumoured to be worth an eyebrow-raising $13 million per year, growing by a potential $5.64 million more depending on bonuses and other performance-related add-ons.
How, then, did Toronto manage to pull off such an audacious coup for the club? And will he revive the fortunes of a squad which limped to a dismal 13th place finish last season, just one spot above league whipping boys Cincinnati? Although Insigne will not join up with his new teammates until his contract with Napoli expires this summer, there are high hopes among the Canadian club’s fanbase that he can spur them on to success.
An unusual scouting process
Insigne’s arrival at Toronto is certainly one of the most sensational transfers in MLS history, so it’s perhaps only fitting that the manner in which it came about is equally unorthodox. According to the president of the club Bill Manning, he used the Transfermarkt website to search for internationals whose contract were expiring in the summer – and stumbled across Insigne’s name.
“I started writing down players that I thought were world class, that I thought would have commercial value in this market,” Manning explained to the Toronto Sun. “I then presented to the MLSE board a five-year vision on what we need to do to reinvigorate our club. And Lorenzo Insigne was the first name on that list.” Astoundingly, Manning and Toronto got their man.
A turnaround for Toronto FC
The signing is expected to give everyone at the BMO Field a much-needed lift midway through next season. Insigne’s undeniable class and firepower – he scored 114 goals and created 91 assists across 416 appearances with Napoli – will certainly bolster a Toronto attack that was found wanting far too often last year.
Indeed, the club’s joint top scorers in 2021 were Jozy Altidore and Jonathan Osorio with a measly four goals apiece. The club’s overall goals-for tally was 39 in 34 games, which was better than only three other teams in the league. Having conceded 66 goals in that time, the team clearly requires work at both ends of the pitch, but there’s no denying that Insigne’s arrival will give Canada sports betting enthusiasts pause for thought in the second half of the season.
Bad for the league?
Nonetheless, there are some observers of MLS who have speculated that although Insigne does bring star quality to the division and helps to raise its profile overseas, his signing could actually be detrimental to the league overall. That’s because his astronomic wages make something of a mockery of the MLS salary cap, despite his status as a Designated Player.
Not only will Insigne become the MLS’s highest-ever paid player, but his monthly salary of more than $1 million means that he actually earns more than the entire squads of 17 MLS clubs! For that reason, some critics believe that the entire structure of the league’s salary system needs revamping or it may soon fall prey to the capitalistic challenges that already beset the biggest European leagues.
Whether or not Insigne can propel Toronto to the MLS playoffs remains to be seen, but his transfer has provoked excitement (as well as some consternation) among North American soccer fans.
photo by Paul Bica
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