Toronto FC have already made the biggest splash of the MLS offseason with a blockbuster splurge for Euro 2020 winner Lorenzo Insigne. Though landing the star Italian could just be the start of more moves to come.
Speaking with Extratime host Andrew Wiebe on Thursday, Walking the Red's Michael Singh not only re-affirmed his reporting that Toronto would be saying goodbye to Yeferson Soteldo but added that they're looking to make a move for Mexico and Tigres UANL center back Carlos Salcedo.
Singh tweeted earlier Thursday that Soteldo, signed as a Designated Player in April 2020 from Brazilian club Santos, would be departing after less than a season. Additionally, he relayed Salcedo could be inbound to bolster Toronto's backline, perhaps in a directly corresponding move. Neither deal has been confirmed so far by the club.
If they happen, Singh believes it's a clear signal of the start of the Bob Bradley era at TFC.
"It’s a massive move because it’s a Bob Bradley move in my opinion," Singh said. "And he’s really kind of started to put his mark on the club. In the past we saw a lot of offensive weapons come in, but we never really saw a defensive stalwart like a Carlos Salcedo come in."
Soteldo's three goals and 10 assists during his debut MLS season might have been something to build upon were it not for other issues, Singh suggested.
"While he was a fantastic player in my opinion on the pitch … he wasn’t meshing very well off the pitch with the team," Singh said. "So I think the team was shopping him from everything that I’ve heard."
Salcedo broke into the professional ranks in MLS with Real Salt Lake before moving on to Liga MX's Chivas in 2015. The 28-year-old defender, capped 48 times by Mexico, has also featured for German Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt and Italian Serie A club Fiorentina.
That kind of profile mirrors Bradley's managerial career and time at LAFC, which Singh said brings instant credibility within the TFC ranks, with the goal of returning to the winning ways of 2016-19 under now-LA Galaxy boss Greg Vanney.
"He was brought in to kind of reinstate that [winning] culture," Singh said of Bradley. "And everyone in that locker room is going to be respecting everything that he’s done throughout MLS, throughout his career."
Watch the full segment for more, including Singh's thoughts on what Insigne's arrival means for TFC's profile in Toronto and beyond, as well as the potential way out for Reds striker Jozy Altidore.
