Federico Bernardeschi is staying in Major League Soccer as no Serie A side wanted to take him away from Toronto. Bernardeschi’s frustration and struggles with Toronto FC contributed to why the Canadian club finished at the bottom of MLS. Toronto FC had just four wins from 34 league games. That includes losing 15 of the club’s last 16 games in league play.
Federico Bernardeschi joined The Reds in the middle of the 2022 season, and he showed brilliance in North America. In 13 league games, he scored eight goals as Toronto struggled to finish one off of bottom. However, Bernardeschi scored just five goals in 31 league appearances. Much of the season highlighted his desire to leave MLS amid his regret of ever joining Major League Soccer. He targeted a return to Juventus, the Italian club he played for before moving to Toronto.
However, with the winter transfer window nearing its close, it appears Federico Bernardeschi will be staying with Toronto FC. Different outlets are reporting Juventus, Napoli, Lazio and Roma have turned down the offer to sign Bernardeschi from Toronto. Now, supporters of the Canadian club are bracing for another season with the Italian occupying one of the Designated Player spots in Toronto’s payroll.
No Serie A team wants to take on Bernardeschi from Toronto
According to reports from Toronto, the reasons for Serie A clubs turning their back on the Italian are clear. The first of those is form. The aforementioned five goals in 31 league appearances in Major League Soccer is far below the standard in Serie A. Also, Bernardeschi is turning 30 in February, and his salary far exceeds what any team in Italy would be willing to pay. MLS contracts, particularly those for a designated player, cost far more than contracts in Europe. Therefore, no club would be willing to offer the Italian so much. At the very least, Bernardeschi can stay in Canada while still making ample money.
Despite the issues off the field, John Herdman, the new manager of Toronto FC who recently left the Canada men’s team head coach role, says both Bernardeschi and his Italian compatriot Lorenzo Insigne are fully committed to the project at Toronto FC. The side is getting ready to begin its preseason schedule before the 2024 MLS season.
A wake-up call for Bernardeschi
As preparations are the focus now, some Toronto FC fans will hope the denial of Italian clubs can be the impetus for Bernardeschi to turn his time in Major League Soccer around. Evidently, the first full season in Canada did not go according to plan. However, the realization that no team in his homeland wants him can provide more desire for the Italian.
As things stand, though, the moves for Insigne and Bernardeschi have set out the dismal run of form in recent seasons for Toronto FC. Having joined in the middle of the 2022 season, the last three seasons ended what was one of the more impressive runs of form in MLS. From 2016 to 2019, Toronto FC reached the MLS Cup Final three times, winning it once in 2017. That remains the club’s only league title and the only triumph by a team from Canada. Bernardeschi will play a key role if Toronto wants to get remotely close to those heights this coming season.
