Toronto FC: Weighing up Alejandro Pozuelo’s credentials

Toronto FC are reportedly interested in attacking midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo, but is he the right man to become the team’s third designated player?

You’re never going to replace somebody like Sebastian Giovinco. Everything he did during his four years with Toronto FC secured his place as the best player in franchise — and arguably MLS — history.

However, the Reds still need to find someone to come in as their third designated player. In this respect, the latest speculation seem to indicate they’ve found their man.

Apparently, TFC are interested in signing Alejandro Pozuelo. The news was first reported on Friday, by Sam Stejskal of mlssoccer.com.

The Toronto Sun‘s Steve Buffery took it a step further on Saturday, by reporting Toronto FC are in talks and close to actually acquiring Pozuelo. He wrote that this information was confirmed to them, by a source close to the team.

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Several other unknown players have also been considered as the team’s third designated player. However, assuming the move for Pozuelo goes ahead, TFC will pay a transfer fee of around $10 million.

Interestingly, Buffery notes that the 27-year-old has already turned down a lucrative offer from Al-Ahil in Saudi Arabia, where Giovinco recently moved to play with Al-Hilal. He apparently also received a significant offer from a Chinese team.

The question is, what will the Reds be getting in Pozuelo? For a start, they will be getting a player who has competed at the top level in La Liga and the Premiership.

More specifically, the attacking midfielder has played for Real Betis, Swansea City and Rayo Vallecano respectively, during his time in Spain and England. Of the three teams, his most productive spell was with Real Betis, where he scored three goals in 29 league appearances.

Pozuelo is in his fourth season with Genk, who play in the Belgian first division. At the time of posting, he has 17 goals and 29 assists in 102 league appearances for the club,

This season specifically, the Seville, Spain native has scored five league goals in 24 games. In addition, he has scored a couple of times in the Europa League.

Pozuelo is also captain for Genk. And while he wouldn’t come in to replace Michael Bradley in that role, it speaks to his leadership skills and offers a potential option for TFC in future seasons.

Of course, first things first, we wait for Pozuelo to officially sign for the Reds. However, assuming he does, he is an intriguing talent who should do well in MLS.

Are you familiar with Pozuelo? If so, what is your take on his suitability as Toronto FC’s third designated player? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.