Toronto FC Acquires Striker Maximiliano Urruti oronto FC announced Friday that the club has acquired Argentine striker Maximiliano Urruti. As per club and league policy terms of the deal were not disclosed. He will be added to the roster upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC). "We are thrilled to finally get this deal concluded for Maximiliano Urruti. He is a player that we have been aware of for nearly two years and we have scouted him extensively in person," said Toronto FC President and General Manager Kevin Payne. "We think he's really going to help our team and he is going to be an exciting player for our league so we couldn't be happier about this outcome." Urruti, 22, joins Toronto FC after spending the past three seasons at Newell's Old Boys of the Primera División de Argentina (Argentina's First Division). He made 56 appearances and scored 14 goals combined in league and Copa Libertadores play for the club. This past season, Urruti was part of Newell's Old Boys' Torneo Final championship winning side. "Maximiliano is a promising young striker and he is a natural goal scorer," said Toronto FC Head Coach Ryan Nelsen. "He has great character and work ethic and we are really excited to have him join Toronto." Maximiliano Urruti #37 Position: Striker Height: 6'0 Weight: 163 Birthdate: February 22, 1991 Birth Place: Rosario, Argentina Hometown: Rosario, Argentina Nationality: Argentine Last Club: Newell's Old Boys How Acquired: Signed with Toronto FC on Friday, August 16, 2013 Pronunciation: "Max-a-mill-ee-ano Urr-oo-tee"
Soggy Battle Reds draw New England 1-1 on a rainy Friday night at BMO http://www.torontofc.ca/video/2013/08/30/wiedeman-levels-match-august-30-2013
Toronto FC parts ways with president/GM Kevin Payne: This is part of a larger sweep of the executive suites that will continue with announcements as early as Thursday. Only nine months after he was brought in to revamp a moribund squad, Toronto FC has parted ways with president and GM Kevin Payne. MLSE chose to take the Brian Burke/Bryan Colangelo route in doing so. Payne will remain on to assist with a transition but do so without title. This is part of a larger sweep of the executive suites that will continue with announcements as early as Thursday. “I’m disappointed, but this is the way this business works,” Payne said Wednesday. He will remain in Toronto for the month before returning to his home in Washington, D.C. http://www.reddit.com/tb/1lqlwq
Toronto FC deal Argentine striker Maximiliano Urruti to Portland Timbers for Bright Dike, 2015 draft pick Former Toronto FC president and general manager Kevin Payne scouted Argentine forward Maximiliano Urruti for more than a year before he was able to finally bring him to Toronto in August, but with Payne now gone, his prized import is on his way out, too. TFC traded the 22-year-old attacker to the Portland Timbers on Monday in exchange for forward Bright Dike, a first-round pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and allocation money. Toronto also give up an international roster spot through 2013 in the deal. Toronto FC will receive the Timbers’ lowest first-round pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, should the Timbers acquire a second first-round pick in that draft. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...er-maximiliano-urruti-portland-timbers-bright
TOR 1, CHI 1: Fire can't gain the ground they want as Reds hold the line TORONTO — Dilly Duka and Robert Earnshaw scored first half goals for Chicago and Toronto respectively as two Eastern Conference sides battled to a 1-1 draw in front of 15,217 at BMO Field on Wednesday evening. The Fire opened the scoring in the 20th minute on a peculiar play in which Duka chipped a pass to forward Mike Magee, who had made a run into the Toronto box. While the current second-highest goalscorer in the league was unable to get a foot on the ball, TFC keeper Joe Bendik played the ball as if Magee was going to redirect it and ultimately saw Duka’s pass bounce over him into the back of the net. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2013/09/11/toronto-fc-1-chicago-fire-1-mls-match-recap
Toronto FC hire league player relations pro Tim Bezbatchenko as new GM FC went looking for an expert on the Major League Soccer salary cap to serve as their next general manager, so they went right to the source to find their man. The club announced Friday that Tim Bezbatchenko, a 31-year-old attorney who has spent the past three years negotiating and drafting player contracts as the senior director of player relations and competition with MLS, is now the new man on the job in Toronto, replacing former GM Kevin Payne, who was let go earlier this month. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...player-relations-exec-tim-bezbatchenko-new-gm
Reds Rout UDC Alvaro Rey's brace contributes to a 4-1 Toronto win over DC. D.C. United sat stalwarts such as Dwayne De Rosario, Chris Pontius, Perry Kitchen and Bill Hamid in light of their upcoming U.S. Open Cup final match, and Toronto missing key players such as Robert Earnshaw, Steven Caldwell, Matias Laba and Jonathan Osorio. In the end, United’s Jared Jeffrey and TFC’s Darel Russell scored highlight-reel goals in the first half to fill the void left by the absence of such significant star power. D.C. opened the scoring in 12th minute when Jeffrey beat TFC keeper Joe Bendik with an exceptional strike from 25-yards out. http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2013/09/reds-rout-dc-united-bmo
A season later, did Toronto FC draft well in 2013? Oh, to be the shirts, shorts and socks of Kyle Bekker and Emery Welshman on laundry day. A one-rinse cycle gets the sweat out and not a touch of detergent more is used to rid their kits of those non-existent grass or mud stains. Freshly laundered and delivered as they always are, it may seem tedious for these two players to dress up every game, sit on the bench and wait for a chance that sometimes – oftentimes – never comes. Bekker and Welshman were drafted this year by a Toronto FC side looking to not only fix a tarnished reputation from the season last, but also looking for ways to gain as much valuable allocation money as any team can at such an event http://www.rednationonline.ca/Articles2013/AseasonlaterdidTorontoFCdraftwellin2013.aspx
Toronto FC relish composed win over Montreal: "We looked like the team that was going to the playoffs" TORONTO - A first-half strike by Robert Earnshaw was enough to see Toronto FC dispatch a desperate Montreal Impact side by a 1-0 margin on a cold, soggy Saturday afternoon at BMO Field. TFC opened the scoring in the 16th minute when a lucky bounce allowed midfielder Jonathan Osorio to unleash a shot in the Impact penalty box that Earnshaw redirected past Montreal goalkeeper Troy Perkins. Toronto were worthy winners and had multiple chances to increase their lead during the first half. The first arrived via another fortuitous bounce in the 33rd minute that enabled Earnshaw and Bright Dike to go in alone on Perkins. However, the two TFC strikers got in each other’s way and the Impact 'keeper blocked Earnshaw’s shot. http://www.torontofc.ca/news/2013/10/reds-upset-impact-season-finale
Alberto Gilardino set to sign with TFC Alberto Gilardino is set to become Toronto FC’s next Designated Player. RedNation Online has learned that Gilardino has agreed to a move to Toronto FC, who offered him a multi-year, multimillion-dollar contract. The deal is rumoured to be valued at $3 million a year for four years, with a $6 million transfer fee going to Genoa. Gilardino has not yet signed a contract with Toronto FC, but three separate sources have confirmed to RedNation that Gilardino’s signing is imminent. A tweet from Sky Sports writer Tancredi Palmeri seems to indicate that Gilardino is close to signing as well. http://www.rednationonline.ca/Articles2012/AlbertoGilardinosettosignwithTorontoFC.aspx
Tottenham's Jermain Defoe agrees transfer to Toronto of MLS in January window Jermain Defoe has agreed an incredible £90,000-a-week switch to Major League Soccer side Toronto FC. The 31-year-old Tottenham and England striker has shattered the hopes of domestic clubs bidding to land him in January by accepting a stunning four-year offer to move to Canada. Defoe said yes to the deal, also worth £6million to the White Hart Lane club, last week. It is understood he will discuss the implications for his World Cup prospects with England boss Roy Hodgson. But the transfer means the striker is set to end his career in Canada. Defoe's former club West Ham and his old Spurs and Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp, now at Championship promotion chasers Queens Park Rangers, had been leading the chase to tempt him away from White Hart Lane. But, as we exclusively revealed a month ago, Toronto gazumped them all with an offer the marksman could not refuse - which will be his Tottenham wage of £67,000-a-week, topped up by bonuses. The outfit, managed by Defoe’s former Tottenham team-mate Ryan Nelsen, will even fly the striker’s family out with him to help him settle. Although the deal has been agreed, Defoe is hoping he can stay at White Hart Lane to help the club through their striker crisis until just before the 2014 MLS season starts in March. The move will draw a line under his frustrating second spell at White Hart Lane. Despite being a regular goal-scorer for Tottenham the frontman has been to restricted to appearances in the Europa League this season. Boss Andre Villas-Boas has persisted with £26million summer signing Roberto Soldado as the sole striker in his strongest side. In the summer of 2012, Defoe signed a new deal extending his contract - which would have ended next July - by an extra year. Mirror Sport understands he was willing to see out his playing days in Spurs colours. With his opportunities limited, however, Defoe has chosen to cut his losses and move on. http://www.reddit.com/tb/1rj35e
Toronto FC move forward with rebuild, part ways with 7 players, including striker Robert Earnshaw Toronto FC announced Friday that they have parted ways with seven players, including former Wales international striker Robert Earnshaw, the team's leading scorer this past season, his first with TFC. Toronto declined their option on Earnshaw despite the fact that the 31-year-old scored eight goals in his first MLS season. However, Toronto’s new leadership has expressed a desire to acquire a Designated Player at the striker position, leaving Earnshaw’s future in doubt. TFC also declined 2013 options on former US international Bobby Convey and midfielders Darel Russell and Michael Thomas. Forwards Danny Koevermans and Justin Braun and goalkeeper Stefan Frei remain out of contract. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...d-parts-ways-seven-players-including-striker-
Toronto FC looking at bringing Dwayne De Rosario back to club TFC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko told QMI Agency ahead of Saturday’s MLS Cup final that bringing Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario back to BMO Field “could be a possibility.” Hesitant to disclose exactly how interested the TFC is in the club’s career leading goal-scorer, Bezbatchenko said they’d need to have a discussion with D.C. United ahead of the coming re-entry draft process. “(De Rosario) would fit the bill in terms of someone we’re looking for,” Bezbatchenko said. http://www.reddit.com/tb/1se99b
TFC Signs Brazilian Striker Gilberto Forward Gilberto joins TFC as a designated player from Brazil league Serie A. Toronto FC announced Friday that it has signed Brazilian striker Gilberto Oliveira Souza Junior (Gilberto) as a designated player. He will be added to the roster upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and Visa. “Gilberto is a great DP addition to our roster. He’s young, incredibly talented and a proven goal scorer at every level he’s played,” said Toronto FC General Manager Tim Bezbatchenko. “The Brazilian Serie A is one of the best leagues in the world and acquiring a top striker from that league is a testament to the faith Gilberto has in what we are doing at our Club.” http://www.reddit.com/tb/1sthbb
Tottenham Hotspur striker Jermaine Defoe set to join Toronto FC? Toronto FC supporters barely had time to celebrate Friday's arrival of Brazilian striker Gilberto. Just hours after unveiling their first Designated Player signing under new GM Tim Bezbatchenko, the Toronto Sun is reporting on Saturday that the next DP may not be too far behind. "The Toronto Sun has learned Tottenham Hotspur striker Jermain Defoe will join Toronto FC next season in what's sure to be the biggest off-season move MLS-wide," wrote Toronto FC beat writer Kurt Larson. The report claims that the transfer fee could reach $10 million and that Defoe would become "the highest-paid player in MLS history." http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...ur-striker-jermaine-defoe-set-join-toronto-fc
Toronto FC send allocation money to San Jose Earthquakes in trade for defender Justin Morrow Toronto FC promised they'd add established MLS names to their roster this offseason, and they delivered once again just days after inking a promising Designated Player. Toronto announced on Tuesday that they had acquired defender Justin Morrow in a trade with the San Jose Earthquakes in exchange for allocation money. Per team and league policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. “In Morrow, we are adding a young, All-Star caliber player to our backline,” Toronto FC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko said in a statement. “Justin’s steady presence, versatility and MLS experience make him a great addition to the club.” http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...y-san-jose-earthquakes-trade-defender-justin-
Toronto could host Winter Classic in 2017 ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A complicated and costly deal is in the works that would see Toronto’s BMO Field significantly expanded in time for the Maple Leafs to host the Winter Classic in their centennial season, Sportsnet has learned. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment has held high-level discussions with the municipal, provincial and federal government and believes that they are all on board with renovating the six-year-old stadium, according to president and CEO Tim Leiweke. The driving force behind the proposed expansion is a desire to hold major events like the Winter Classic and NHL sources indicate that Toronto is in line to land the signature outdoor game should the building’s capacity be increased. Leiweke insists that won’t be an issue if the league is committed to bringing the game to a Canadian city for the first time ever – likely in concert with the Maple Leafs’ 100th anniversary season in 2016-17. http://www.reddit.com/tb/1u5ain
Report: Toronto FC "on the verge of signing" USMNT midfielder Michael Bradley Toronto FC are in the midst of a busy offseason, with one blockbuster deal done and another pending. A third – one that will move the needle in a big way throughout MLS – is now reported to be complete. ESPN analyst Taylor Twellman reported on his Twitter account on Wednesday that TFC are "on the verge" of signing US national team and AS Roma midfielder Michael Bradley. Bradley, who began his career in MLS back in 2004, has played overseas since 2006 including star turns for Heerenveen, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Chievo Verona before moving to the Eternal City 18 months ago: Minutes after Twellman's tweet, fellow ESPN analyst Alexi Lalas also tweeted that he had confirmed the move: Later on Wednesday afternoon, the No Short Corners blog, which focuses on Americans in Europe, confirmed that the deal is in the works, and ESPN The Magazine's Doug McIntyre tweeted the deal was completed. Doug McIntyre @DougMacESPN Follow Source tells me that Michael Bradley to @torontofc is a done deal. Just, Wow. #usmnt http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...erge-signing-usmnt-midfielder-michael-bradley
Michael Bradley, Jermain Defoe couldn't resist "being part of something special" at Toronto FC TORONTO – Monday’s press conference to introduce Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley was billed to Toronto FC fans and media with the tagline “It’s a Bloody Big Deal.” Turns out TFC’s newest Designated Players were in complete agreement. Both Bradley and Defoe admitted they had other options with clubs in Europe, but both were also quick to state that they simply could not turn down the opportunity to be part of something they perceived as “really special, something unique and something different,” as Bradley put it, that is now being built in Toronto by TFC head honcho Tim Leiweke, general manager Tim Bezbatchenko and head coach Ryan Nelsen. “As a player, you want to be a part of something like that and at a place where the people share your ambition, you goals and your drive,” said Bradley, whose signing was made official on Monday. “It took all of two seconds for me to understand that I was going to be coming to place where I would be surrounded by people with that motivation and commitment.” http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...ay-they-couldnt-resist-being-part-something-s
Toronto FC to partner with Wilmington Hammerheads of USL Pro According to Duane Rollins at Canadian Soccer News Toronto FC are close to announcing another big deal. This one has nothing to do with players as the club is set to form an affiliation with the Wilmington Hammerheads. The reported partnership would open the door for up to four TFC players to go on loan to the USL club for the duration of the 2014 season. Such a move would allow the four young Canadians to actually have the chance to get meaningful minutes that will be crucial in continuing their development. http://www.reddit.com/tb/1utrfv
