Toronto FC has added another Designated Player to its stable, and its best yet. The club has signed Sebastian Giovinco from Juventus, netting them a 27-year-old Italy international.
Toronto FC sign Sebastian Giovinco
The Reds have made one of the biggest signings in MLS history.
Marco Luzzani/Getty Images
Giovinco will join Toronto FC in July after the end of the Serie A season. There was interest throughout Europe for Giovinco. Several Premier League and Serie A teams were rumored to be after Giovinco this transfer window, in addition to Monaco.
Giovinco is arguably the best player MLS has ever signed. While various outstanding players have joined the league before, they generally did so towards the end of their careers. Giovinco is still pretty young and was a starter for Italy at the Confederations Cup less than two years ago. He scored 11 goals for Juventus just two years ago and was one of the primary playmakers for the Scudetto winners.
It will be interesting to see how long it takes Giovinco to find his form once he joins Toronto. The diminutive attacker has struggled to get playing time of late and has started just two matches for Juventus this season.
Toronto FC are now in a bind because they already had Michael Bradley and Gilberto on as Designated Players, added Jozy Altidore next week and now have Giovinco. Last season, teams were only allowed three DPs and unless the new Collective Bargaining Agreement allows for four, Toronto will have to jettison one (likely Gilberto).
The Reds have shown an incredible amount of ambition in the last two years, signing a slew of high-priced players, in addition to expanding their stadium to 30,000 with a new roof. The club clearly aims to be the best in MLS and will spare no expense in doing so. But this is still the same club that has never made the playoffs in its eight-year history. With Giovinco now in the fold, they’re hoping that will change.
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