Toronto FC have confirmed they have reached an agreement to sign Napoli star Lorenzo Insigne on a free transfer at the end of the campaign.
A product of the Napoli academy, the 30-year-old has attracted plenty of interest from across Europe but has opted to follow in the footsteps of former Italy international Sebastian Giovinco, who famously swapped Serie A for Toronto in 2015 and became an MLS legend.
He said the thing! #AllForOne@Lor_Insigne | #TFCLive pic.twitter.com/uePtzRT0rU
— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) January 8, 2022
Insigne will remain with Serie A title-hopefuls Napoli for the remainder of the 2021/22 campaign before heading out to Major League Soccer in the summer to sign a lucrative four-year contract.
“This is a historic and exciting day for our club,” said Toronto FC president Bill Manning. “Lorenzo is a world class attacking player in the prime of his career.
“He was a European champion with Italy and has performed on the biggest stages during his club career with Napoli. Lorenzo has the talent to change games. He plays the game with joy and passion, and our fans and supporters are going to love watching him as a member of our team.”
Head coach and sporting director Bob Bradley added: “We are all looking forward to having Lorenzo join us this summer.
“His ability to create chances for himself and his teammates is special. Having watched him for many years, I also know he’s also a player who works for the team. Lorenzo is the kind of player you come to watch, because there’s always a chance, he’ll do something unforgettable.”
The deal means Insigne’s lifelong association with Napoli will soon come to an end and the winger will fall short of reaching 500 appearances for the Partenopei. He is fourth on Napoli’s all-time appearances charts and will not overtake Antonio Juliano’s 505 to climb any higher.
This article was originally published on 90min as Toronto FC confirm deal to sign Lorenzo Insigne on free transfer.
Source: www.90min.com