Aron Winter continued his massive remaking of Toronto FC, making his third trade in two days. This time, he dealt away promising young central midfielder Tony Tchani in exchange for center back Andy Iro and midfielder Leandre Griffit. In the last few weeks, Winter has signed two Designated Players, traded away four players and acquired four others, along with an international roster spot.
Toronto FC Trade Tony Tchani To Columbus Crew, Acquire Andy Iro
The latest trade seems to be another indication that Winter is not quite willing to give up on this season, despite TFC having the worst goal-difference (-19) in the league. As bad as TFC has been so far, the reality is that with 10 teams making the MLS playoffs, they are just four points behind the final spot.
The Crew, undoubtedly, got the player with the highest upside. Tchani is just a year removed from being the No. 2 overall draft pick and had shown flashes of quality during his time in Toronto. But with the recent additions of midfielders Torsten Frings and Terry Dunfield, as well as the continued presence of Julian De Guzman, Tchani looked to be the odd man out.
Meanwhile, the one area that Winter had not yet addressed was a glaring need for a center back. While trading away a future star like Tchani may turn out to be a bad longterm choice, there’s every reason to believe that Winter has improved his team dramatically in the here and now.
For the Crew, the trade feels like a clear win. Iro was clearly unhappy at being relegated to the bench and had made just four appearances this season. Tchani has significant upside and should help solidify what has so far been a bit of a revolving door at the second central midfield spot. He’s also still on a Generation Adidas contract, meaning his salary does not yet count against the cap.
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