MLS side Toronto FC wrapped another big piece of business this week by adding Italy international winger Federico Bernardeschi to their squad. Bernardeschi joined as a free agent after his contract with Seria A giants Juventus expired this month.
Bernardeschi inked a deal through 2026 and will occupy a designated player spot. The financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but reports say that the 28-year-old player should earn around $5 million annually.
Bernardeschi is the third Italian to come to Toronto this season. The club previously also added ex-Napoli star forward Lorenzo Insigne, who arrived on a record-breaking $15 million per year deal, and defender Domenico Criscito. All three players have played for Italy national team together at one point.
“We are thrilled to add Federico to our team,” said Toronto FC President Bill Manning in a statement. “As a player and a person, we believe he’s exactly what we need right now, both on the field and in the locker room.”
Federico Bernardeschi started his professional career with Seria A side Fiorentina, where he quickly emerged as one of the future stars of Italian football. After scoring 14 goals in the 2016–17 season, Bernardeschi was chased by several big European clubs but decided to stay in Italy and join Juventus in a €40 million transfer.
While Bernardeschi was solid during his spell in Turin, he never managed to reach the heights that were expected from him. He left Juve, having scored just 12 goals in 183 games played across five seasons.
