Lorenzo Insigne reportedly agrees deal with Toronto FC

Several reports indicate Italian international Lorenzo Insigne has agreed terms to join Toronto FC this summer on a five-and-a-half year contract.

Toronto FC’s adventurous pursuit of Lorenzo Insigne has apparently come to a positive conclusion. According to several reports, he has agreed a deal to move to Southern Ontario this summer.

As per The Guardian‘s Fabrizio Romano and Luke McLaughlin, Insigne has signed a five-and-a-half year contract which will conclude in December 2027. He will join TFC after his deal with Napoli expires at the end of the current 2021-22 Serie A season.

Sky Sport Italia‘s Gianluca Di Marzio reports that the 30-year-old’s wages will come to nearly $16.5 million, when converted to Canadian dollars. Additionally, he can earn just under another $6.5 million in bonuses.

At the time of writing, there has been no official confirmation of the signing by Toronto FC. However, as per Di Marzio, an announcement is expected by next Monday.

Pending said announcement, this is undoubtedly a stunning signing for TFC specifically and MLS in general. Insigne’s salary will easily be the highest in league history, surpassing what Zlatan Ibrahimovic previously earned with the L.A. Galaxy.

This has been talk about how the forward moving to Southern Ontario will impact his international playing career, with people referencing what happened to Sebastian Giovinco when he joined TFC. However, Insigne is firmly establish with the Italy team, whereas Giovinco was a fringe player.

Regardless, there will undoubtedly be comparisons between the two players. Giovinco was a major success during his four seasons with TFC, and he currently stands as their all-time leading goal scorer.

The former Juventus player won the MLS MVP award during his first year in Toronto, while being named an All-Star on four occasions. Most importantly of all, he helped the Reds win the MLS Cup in 2017.

Understandably, Insigne will be expected to have a similar impact in order to justify what TFC are going to pay him. He should be able to handle the scrutiny after helping Italy win EUFA Euro 2020, scoring twice during the tournament.

With Insigne signed, Toronto FC will now be firmly focused on moving one or more of their current designated players. Yeferson Soteldo has reportedly received interest from Brazil, while Jozy Altidore is in talks with TFC to agree terms to terminate his contract.

Pending an official announcement, what kind of impact do you think Lorenzo Insigne with have with TFC? Do you predict he will match or potentially even exceed the success Giovinco had in Southern Ontario? Let us know in the comments section below.