“On the sixth day of Christmas, Bell + Rogers gave to me…”
Six Brand New Signings
Bellies full, Voyageurs Cup in hand, the sixth day at Toronto Football Club brings us to the transfer season. Silly season to some, the MLS transfer window is the time of the year when every single player departs from Toronto FC and heads for another team. This year, however, looks to be different.
Aron Winter had taken an unconventional approach to the transfer window this year, opting to keep players from last year and use them again in his second year! Ludicrous! This unprecedented move puts Winter in a good position heading into the start of next year.
Having said that there is no specific number of players he is looking to acquire, a ballpark figure based on our need for depth and available cap space says that a realistic mark is six players brought in.
Reggie Lambe and Jeremy Hall are two players, but there will be others, of course. As the MLS SuperDraft approaches, the trading will increase as well as draft picks and players alike are bought, sold and offloaded.
Toronto FC needs six new signings, separate from academy graduates and draft picks. This includes at least two brand new centerbacks of MLS quality to play alongside (read, instead of) Andy Iro and Ty Harden. Toronto FC would also do well to trade for another star player, in the attacking midfield role.
A big trade could shake up the roster and change spots significantly. This is not an ideal – rather, Winter should make a handful of smart player acquisitions and build from there. If de Guzman sees his way out of Toronto FC for whatever reason, a designated player centerback would be the biggest signing. At this point, however, it’s all a matter of filling in the roster and letting chemistry develop between the players.
After all, money can’t buy you team chemistry, no matter how hard you try. Keep the signings to a minimum, squad turnover dialed low, and the signings that actually are made meaningful. Make it happen!
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