Report: TFC sending Pozuelo to Inter Miami
Alejandro Pozuelo is headed to the Sunshine State. Fabrizio Romano reports Toronto FC is sending the 2020 Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player to Inter Miami. ESPN's Jeff Carlisle reports TFC will receive $150,000 in allocation money from Inter for the player. The 30-year-old Spaniard was in his fourth season with TFC as a Designated Player. In 16 games this season, the diminutive midfielder has four goals. Acquired from Genk in 2019, Pozuelo made 100 appearances across all competition for the Reds, scoring 30 goals. Twice named an MLS All-Star, Pozuelo was key to TFC's march to the 2019 MLS Cup Final where they ultimately fell to the Seattle Sounders. Pozuelo's departure comes with rumours swirling that the Reds are close to signing Italy winger Federico Bernardeschi. The 28-year-old Bernardeschi is out of contract after five seasons at Juventus. Bernardeschi was a teammate of TFC forward Lorenzo Insigne on Italy's Euro 2020-winning side last summer.
Toronto FC trading former league MVP Alejandro Pozuelo to Miami: report
The Alejandro Pozuelo era is coming to an end in Toronto. “Done deal, here we go,” top soccer insider Fabrizio Romano tweeted on Tuesday. “Inter Miami are set to sign Alejandro Pozuelo on permanent deal as Designated Player from Toronto FC, paperworks being prepared.” MLS’s Michael Singh added that Toronto FC is expected to be signing Italian forward Federico Bernardeschi from Juventus on a free transfer. ESPN’s Jeffrey Carlisle added that Toronto would be receiving $150k in allocation money, while also getting rid of Pozuelo’s $4.69 million salary, per Waking the Red. Pozuelo’s departure comes just before the official arrival of Italian international star Lorenzo Insigne, who is first eligible to play for Toronto FC this Saturday against San Jose. The 30-year-old Pozuelo originally joined Toronto FC in March of 2019 as a designated player, having most recently played for Genk of the Belgium league while also having stints at Wales’ Swansea City and Spain’s Betis and Rayo Vallecano clubs. Pozuelo was named the recipient of the Landon Donovan award for the MLS’s Most Valuable Player award in the 2020 campaign and led the team to an MLS Cup appearance during his first year with the team. This season, he’s scored four goals through 16 league matches. Toronto currently holds a record of 5-3-10 while sitting 12th in the MLS’s Eastern Conference, while Miami sits in ninth place with a record of 6-4-7.
Inter Miami finalizing trade for ex-MLS MVP Alejandro Pozuelo from Toronto FC - source