Toronto FC should expect stiff competition in Lorenzo Insigne sweepstakes

With Toronto FC reportedly set to offer Lorenzo Insigne a significant deal, the Italian striker still has some European clubs circling back.

Whenever a team like Toronto FC is looking to make a big splash and acquire a player like Lorenzo Insigne, there are many hurdles the team has to overcome.

For starters, it is usually a preference for a player to remain in Europe for many reasons and in Insigne’s case, his heart remains with his hometown team in Naples. At the same time, reports out of Italy say that he is being offered less money in a four-year offer.

So, with a reported $7 million (USD) per year offer on the table, TFC is positioning itself to be a serious option because of the financial commitment they are willing to make. At 30-years-old, that is significant money for Insigne to earn at the back end of his career if that is what he is looking to get.

Of course, the other thing that has to be considered is the impact Insigne’s decision will have on his ability to play for Italy in the World Cup. Obviously, the Azzurri still need to qualify for the tournament but history has shown back that MLS players tend to get overlooked as shown when Sebastian Giovinco was not an option for Italy in 2016.

If Insigne’s spot on Roberto Mancini’s squad isn’t an issue, then there remains one final hurdle in all of this. Interest from other teams including other European clubs.

An Italian newspaper reported that Tottenham is interested in the 30-year-old with manager Antonio Conte a major selling point. On top of that, there were rumours that Inter Milan, one of the top teams in Italy, were preparing an offer for Napoli’s captain.

The January transfer window is set to open when the new year begins and for that month, there will likely be a lot of developments when it comes to Insigne’s future. A move to Inter would be a tough one for Napoli to swallow and for TFC, it would certainly be disappointing if they can’t pull off another significant move.

It’s no secret that Giovinco’s emergence as one of the best players in MLS led to a major boost in interest in the team, especially from Italian soccer fans. No offence to Giovinco, but getting a player like Insigne would be the biggest move in franchise history.

What helps is that Andrea Pirlo and Giovinco decided to leave Italy for MLS and brought star calibre play to big-market teams. Even Alessandro Del Piero has moved to North America joining ESPN as an analyst.

There will continue to be moving parts for TFC from now until the start of the season as Bob Bradley looks to turn around a club that hasn’t been the same since the departure of Vanney. Getting Insigne might be the move that sparks something different with this club.

Do you think signing Insigne remains possible for TFC? What type of impact do you think he will have? Let us know in the comments below.