Toronto FC has verified the sale of Spanish playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo to Inter Miami CF.
Toronto will get $150,000 US in standard allocation dollars ($75,000 in 2022 in $75,000 in ’23), with extra to occur if specific functionality-dependent metrics are satisfied. TFC will also keep a sell-on proportion in the party of Pozuelo being offered to a club outside MLS.
It truly is a modest return on a former league MVP.
But a lot more importantly, Pozuelo’s departure opens a designated participant location for Toronto with Italian global Federico Bernardeschi thought to be in the club’s sights. Bernardeschi is out of agreement just after 5 seasons with Juventus.
The 30-12 months-old Pozuelo, who is in the last yr of his MLS deal, just marked his 100th visual appearance with Toronto in all competitions. He grew to become the 14th TFC player to arrive at that milestone.
“Alejandro has been a accurate expert given that arriving listed here in 2019,” Toronto president Invoice Manning said in a assertion. “He was instrumental in encouraging us gain the 2019 Eastern Conference title, was the league MVP in 2020 and offered our followers with so several unforgettable aims and helps.
“He is a very good man or woman, and we desire him almost nothing but the best.”
Roster overhaul
Some 20 users of the 2021 TFC first workforce have now departed as new coach Bob Bradley carries on to overhaul a club that finished second-from-very last in the league with a 6-18-10 record very last season.
At $4.69 million, Pozuelo was the fourth-greatest-compensated participant in MLS this period, in accordance to figures launched in April by the MLS Gamers Affiliation.
Even though blessed with tremendous offensive imaginative techniques, Pozuelo appeared to have difficulty fitting into Bradley’s plan of points — which in itself has appeared fluid as the coach analyzed out the expertise at his disposal. Bradley needed a additional all-round game from the Spaniard but had success when he gave him extra freedom to roam in the latest video games.
At his best, Pozuelo is capable to unlock defences with pinpoint passes and has an eye for the audacious when it arrives to photographs on aim. But accidents and some individual concerns off the field in 2021 — with his family back again in Spain — blunted his abilities.
Even now Miami is just joyful to get a participant of Pozuelo’s abilities.
“We believe Alejandro will suit right in with our group. He’s a player of tremendous high quality that we sense can be a authentic video game changer for us,” Miami mentor Phil Neville mentioned in a statement. “We can not wait around to combine him into the squad and are hunting forward to viewing him on the pitch in Inter Miami colors.”
In 3 1/2 seasons with Toronto, Pozuelo registered 30 goals and 34 helps throughout all competitions. He ranks fifth among the TFC’s all-time aim-scorers behind Sebastian Giovinco, Jozy Altidore, Jonathan Osorio, and Dwayne De Rosario.
‘Decisive, artistic attacking player’
He and Giovinco are the only Toronto gamers to generate MLS MVP honours. In a pandemic-shortened 2020 period, Pozuelo’s 9 plans and 10 helps led the league in put together objectives and assists and netted him the award. Pozuelo was also named to the MLS Finest XI in 2019 and 2020, getting to be the third participant in TFC historical past to be named to the Finest XI on many events.
“He has confirmed himself to be just one of the brightest skills in the league and we are self-assured that will continue below in South Florida,” Chris Henderson, Miami’s main soccer officer and sporting director, claimed in a statement. “We have been searching to add a decisive, artistic attacking participant and we feel he fits the profile.”
Pozuelo wasted little time building an impression with Toronto, delivering two eye-popping plans and a magnificent support in a 4- gain over New York Metropolis FC in March 2019.
Osorio was noticed providing Pozuelo a farewell hug on Wednesday early morning in advance of the Spaniard, two of his sons and his father drove away from the Toronto schooling floor in a Mercedes.
Toronto (5-10-3) hosts the San Jose Earthquakes (4-7-6) on Saturday.
Prior to signing up for Toronto, Pozuelo played for KRC Genk in Belgium (2015-2019), Rayo Vallecano in Spain (2014-2015), Swansea City in the English Leading League (2013-2014), True Betis in Spain (2011-2013) and Serious Betis B in Spain’s next tier (2010-2012).
