Yet another big name is heading to Major League soccer this summer. Toronto FC announced on Friday that they have completed the transfer of Federico Bernardeschi, who will move to Canada from Juventus on a free transfer. Bernardeschi joins as a Designated Player, under contract until 2026.
MLS has been abuzz with blockbuster deals so far in the transfer window, with Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini moving to LAFC and Lorenzo Insigne bound for Toronto.
Now Chiellini's long-time Juve team-mate is also heading stateside after five years starring at the Serie A giants.
What did Toronto say about new signing?
"Toronto FC announced today that the club has signed Italian international winger Federico Bernardeschi as a Designated Player through 2026," the Canadians signaled on their official website.
"Bernardeschi will be added to the TFC roster pending his International Transfer Certificate (ITC) and work permit. As per team and Major League Soccer policy, the terms of the contract are confidential."
Club coach and sporting director Bob Bradley added: “Having met with Federico a couple of weeks ago, we think he’s a great fit for what we’re trying to build here at TFC and look forward to getting him on the field.
“He’s an attacking player who is also known for working hard for the team. Federico’s a left footed player who’s comfortable playing on the right wing but can also slide into a central position when needed."
The bigger picture
Bernardeschi began his professional career with Fiorentina and starred with the Viola as a youngster before earning a move to Juve in 2017.
In five seasons at the Old Lady the midfielder made 183 appearances in all competitions, scoring 12 goals and winning three consecutive Serie A titles between 2017 and 2020.
'Toronto FC does it again'
GOAL's U.S. correspondent Ryan Tolmich writes...
If there's one word to describe Toronto FC, it's ambitious.
The Canadian club has done it again, pairing Bernardeshi with Insigne to make yet another unfathomable splash. The club deserves infinite credit for continuing to push the envelope, having added two members of Italy's Euro 2020-winning squad this summer.
But it's not just that they're doing it, but rather how they're doing it. TFC created this move by cutting ties with one DP, Carlos Salcedo, for free just months after bringing him in for a swap deal for multi-million dollar signing Yefferson Soteldo. They also recently sold former MLS MVP Alejandro Pozuelo to Inter Miami for a paltry fee to free up the flexibility to pull off moves of this magnitude.
It's not just that Toronto are ambitious; they're willing to spend money to spend more money. They'll take a loss if needed as long as it sets them up to take a big step forward in the future.
This signing, once again, is a big step forward, another coup for TFC and MLS. Clubs like Toronto FC and Los Angeles FC are continuing to raise the bar for the rest of MLS and, with the way those two are operating, there's no telling how high that bar can go.
