Toronto FC bolstered its depth at forward on Wednesday by acquiring Argentine Lucas Janson in a loan deal.
Janson, 23, joins TFC from Tigre of Argentina’s first division, and he will be added to the MLS club’s roster upon receipt of his international transfer certificate and his Canadian work permit.
Over the previous six seasons at Tigre, Janson scored 10 goals and tallied 10 assists in 82 league appearances. A product of Tigre’s under-20 team, he eventually graduated to the senior team and was a member of the side that finished runners-up in the 2012 Copa Sudamericana club tournament.
Janson’s age and versatility are what appealed to TFC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko.
“Lucas is a young, dynamic player that has the ability to play out wide, up front and centrally as an attacking midfielder,” Bezbatchenko said in a news release.
“We wanted to bring in a player that gives us multiple options in the attack and Lucas fits that need. We are excited to bring him in on loan and get him integrated into the group.”
Janson will most certainly sit behind Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore in the team’s depth chart at the forward position, which means he will be left to fight it out with reserves Jordan Hamilton, Ayo Akinola and Tosaint Ricketts for playing time.
Coach Greg Vanney could also use him as an option in midfield, most likely off the bench, as the Reds have a wealth of quality midfielders.
Toronto used targeted allocation money, or TAM, to secure the loan move for Janson. TAM is a special pot of money that all MLS clubs have access to in order to sign top players who fall below the Designated Player threshold. TFC previously used TAM to acquire Victor Vazquez and fellow Spaniard Ager Aketxe.
Janson could make his debut on Sunday for TFC when they host New York City FC on Sunday in MLS action.
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