È un Grande Affare Sanguinoso! Translation: It’s a Bloody Big Deal!
Toronto FC on Monday officially announced it has signed Juventus and Italian national team midfielder Sebastian Giovinco to a multi-year contract, capping off a crazy four-day period that also saw the Reds swap Jermain Defoe with Premier League club Sunderland for Jozy Altidore.
News of TFC’s pursuit of Giovinco and talks occurring between the two parties was first reported almost two weeks ago by media agencies in Italy. Sportsnet broke the story on Saturday that Giovinco had agreed to terms on a contract with the Major League Soccer club, news that was quickly confirmed by other Canadian media outlets. Monday’s press event at Air Canada Centre was the first public acknowledgment by TFC that they had secured the Italian.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but sources told Sportsnet that Giovinco has inked a four-year deal worth $7 million per season. Giovinco’s current contract with Juventus expires at the end of the Serie A season. He won’t join TFC until July and there was no transfer fee paid by the MLS club.
Giovinco was not in attendance for Monday’s press conference, as he was a second-half substitute in Juventus’ 4-0 win over Hellas Verona on Sunday evening in Serie A action. He did record the below video message from Italy that was played during the news conference:
Giovinco, who turns 28 later this month, is a versatile player who can play as a striker, winger or attacking midfielder. Nicknamed the La Formica Atomica (The Atomic Ant)—he stands five-feet-five—Giovinco is a talented playmaker, renowned for his dribbling skills, passing range and free kick prowess. TFC has historically been missing a dynamic attacker of Giovinco’s calibre, which makes his arrival in Toronto all the more significant for the struggling soccer franchise.
Toronto general manager Tim Bezbatchenko said Giovinco was being pursued by many top clubs from around the world, and called the signing of the Italian as “an important moment in the growth of Major League Soccer.”
“At the end of last season we made a commitment to our fans that we would not be afraid to continue reaching for the stars. I think today speaks volumes about that commitment,” Bezbatchenko proclaimed.
He later added: “Over the next 10 years you’re going to see an exponential growth in our league. This will not be the first big-name player that you’ll see (in MLS). He’s being a trailblazer.”
The magnitude of the signing for the league and Toronto can’t be overstated—Giovinco is a European player with top-level and Champions League experience who is still in his prime years, the likes of which usually don’t come to MLS at this stage in their careers. David Beckham and Thierry Henry were bigger stars, but they were also the wrong side of 30. If Giovinco can replicate his best form at Juventus, he can potentially become one of the most influential players in MLS history.
But there’s no iron-clad guarantee this will work, and Toronto FC fans have been burned too many times by empty promises and previous false dawns to get their hopes up again this time, even when you take into consideration Giovinco’s pedigree and skill on the pitch. It’s best to take a cautiously optimistic approach.
Make no mistake about it: TFC has doubled down in spending big to land Giovinco after splashing big money 12 months ago to sign Michael Bradley and Jermain Defoe, but failing to make the playoffs for an eighth straight year. In attendance for Monday’s press event was Larry Tanenbaum, who as MLSE chairman had to sign off of this latest expenditure by the soccer club.
“The resources and commitment you’ve shown and given to us will not be forgotten, and it will be repaid,” Bezbatchenko boldly stated—words that could come back to haunt him if the history of this soccer team is any indication.
A native of Turin, Giovinco has played for hometown Juventus since 2006, scoring 12 goals in 91 Serie A appearances. He spent one year on loan at Empoli, and another two campaigns on loan at Parma, where he scored a career-high 15 goals during the 2011-12 season.
He returned to Juventus and scored nine league goals over the past two Serie A campaigns. This year, he’s been limited to just seven league appearances (with no goals), but he did bag a brace in Juventus’ 6-1 win over Hellas Verona in the Italian Cup last week.
“He’s not a player who just creates, he can score goals,” Bezbatchenko promised.
Watch more on Giovinco: Bez: TFC roster taking shape || Vanney: Giovinco a big addition || Giovinco signing historic for MLS || Molinaro: TFC getting a fantasy maker in Giovinco || Forrest: Giovinco not just another big name
Although Giovinco can play in a number of areas on the pitch, Vanney thinks the Italian’s best position is as a second striker or attacking midfielder, playing underneath forward Jozy Altidore and linking the midfield with the attack.
“Jozy’s a guy who can stretch out defences, who can hold up balls and bring Sebastian into the game. Giovinco plays very well in the gaps and in-between the (defensive) lines, and he gets himself forward very quickly. He’s outstanding in taking players on, eliminating the first defender, combining with (teammates), getting himself into areas of the field that very few players can really get into,” Vanney raved.
“He’ll be a nightmare for opposing defences.”
Giovinco has also scored one goal in 21 games for Italy, and played for his country at Euro 2012 when the Azzurri lost to Spain in the final, and at the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup. He missed out on representing Italy at last summer’s World Cup in Brazil.
Bezbatchenko did not rule out Giovinco continuing to play for the Azzurri, or the soon-to-be TFC creator going back to Serie A on loan when the 2015 MLS season is over.
The Italian is coming in as a designated player, but Bezbatchenko said he won’t be officially considered a DP player until July when he joins the team. This is important because the addition of the Giovinco brings Toronto’s number of DPs to four—Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Gilberto.
Unless the new collective bargaining agreement, currently being negotiated between MLS and the players’ union, increases the DP limit to four per team, Toronto will likely have to sell one of them—in this case, most likely Gilberto. Another option is to use allocation money to pay down Gilberto’s contract to a non-DP level. Normally, MLS teams must be roster compliant by March 1, but with Giovinco not being considered a DP until July, TFC appears to have a bit more time to figure things out.
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