Toronto FC working towards Lorenzo Insigne departure: Sources

Toronto FC is working towards a departure for attacker Lorenzo Insigne this winter, sources tell GIVEMESPORT.

Nothing is imminent or settled, but both sides are motivated to split before the 2025 season, sources say. The transfer window is open for most of the world, which could see a return to Europe for Insigne or head to the Middle East this month.

Toronto could choose to use a contract buyout if no move materializes. Insigne’s contract runs through the summer of 2026. Insigne is the second-highest paid player in MLS, behind only Lionel Messi. His $15.4 million yearly salary was more than the total wage bill of seven other MLS clubs.

Some MLS clubs will report for preseason training within the next week. The rest within two weeks.

Insigne’s North American sojourn has not gone to plan. The forward’s time has been marked not by goals or assists, but by losses, off-field drama and lack of availability. Toronto has not made the playoffs once in his two and a half years at the club, finishing dead last in 2023. Insigne, now 33, has only 54 regular season appearances during his time at the club, with 14 goals and 14 assists.

When Insigne left Napoli to sign with Toronto FC as a free agent in the summer of 2022, it was a major coup for Toronto and MLS. Insigne was in his prime and a current Italian international, just helping his country win the 2020 Euros (played in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic).

For as disappointing as the on-field output has been, the negative headlines off the field have followed.

In 2023, The Athletic detailed a behind-the-scenes look at the fractured culture in the locker room, in which Insigne pushed for the firing of head coach Bob Bradley.

Inside the dysfunction at Toronto FC, w/ @PaulTenorio & @joshuakloke:

🔴 Secret meetings led by Bernardeschi & Insigne to get Bob Bradley fired

🔴 Locker room distrust over Michael Bradley’s relationship w/ Bob

🔴 A star suspended

One player: “It’s f—ed”https://t.co/pPINymIdL5

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) May 26, 2023

Later that season, The Athletic also detailed an incident in which Insigne stormed out of training after an argument with interim coach Terry Dunfield, who replaced Bradley.

Sources: Lorenzo Insigne got in a big argument with Toronto FC interim manager Terry Dunfield on Thursday, storming off the training pitch. Not the first session he’s walked off in anger.

Insigne is traveling & available for selection Sat

w/ @joshuakloke https://t.co/nBt5siv1QQ

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) August 25, 2023

This year, Insigne missed more time down the stretch of the season. Toronto were playing Inter Miami and Insigne was only fit enough to make the bench. He subbed in towards the end of the game and then-head coach John Herdman appeared to take a shot at Insigne in the press conference.

“You could see he didn’t have much in him,” Herdman told media. “I think he managed to get Messi’s shirt, though. But… yeah.”

Still, there have been pleasant moments.

Insigne has scored a handful of memorable goals and at the beginning of 2024 it looked like both parties may have finally gotten on the same page. Insigne was scoring and Toronto were surprisingly picking up points early in the season.

Pure class by Lorenzo Insigne. Delicate chip to score his first goal of 2024 pic.twitter.com/oX5Mnj6t0v

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) March 3, 2024

Then Insigne got injured again and before long, Toronto’s season slipped and ultimately ended with the club finishing in 11th.

Toronto FC are still without a head coach since Herdman’s departure, but they are at the final stage of that search. Federico Bernardeschi, who arrived the same summer as Insigne, had a big bounceback 2024 campaign and remains on the roster.