Toronto FC have officially announced that Napoli captain Lorenzo Insigne has signed for the MLS club and will join in July as a free agent. ‘Lorenzo is a world class attacking player in the prime of his career.’
His contract with the Partenopei is running down and will expire on June 30, as Napoli only offered an extension if he took a significant pay cut.
Toronto had already hinted at the move by referencing the Italian word ‘Tiraggiro’, a Neapolitan version of right-foot curler that made it into the Treccani dictionary last year after Insigne’s UEFA EURO 2020 exploits.
They then used a video of Sky Sport Italia transfer expert Fabrizio Romano using his ‘here we go’ catchphrase to confirm the deal was done.
“This is a historic and exciting day for our club,” said Toronto FC President Bill Manning on the official website.
“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.”
It is a pre-contract agreement for a four-year deal that runs from July 1, 2022.
“We are all looking forward to having Lorenzo join us this summer,” said Toronto FC Head Coach and Sporting Director Bob Bradley.
“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.”
It is reported Insigne will earn €11.5m per season gross, plus up to €4.5m per season in performance-related bonuses.
It’s not official until @FabrizioRomano says the magic words… 𝙃𝙀𝙍𝙀. 𝙒𝙀. 𝙂𝙊!
Benvenuto a Toronto, Lorenzo Insigne 🇮🇹@Lor_Insigne | #TFCLive pic.twitter.com/2Ved7P4SZF
— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) January 8, 2022
📖 𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘’𝐒 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐀𝐘 📖
𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗿𝗼 𝘴. 𝘮. (𝘧𝘢𝘮.) – Nel calcio, il tiro a giro, fatto colpendo il pallone in modo da imprimergli un forte effetto a rientrare. Adattamento del napoletano parlato 𝘵𝘪𝘳 𝘢 𝘨𝘪𝘳.
(h/t https://t.co/zAGmfzK6F7) pic.twitter.com/Ff1pqN5bvm
— Toronto FC (@TorontoFC) January 7, 2022
Wow! Just, wow!
I’m so so disappointed. Lorenzo deserved better. ADL needs to go, this is the final straw.
Good for him !
Yes can’t wait.
I worry that getting him in July may be too late to save the season.
Bravo Lorenzo!!
T.O. Awaits you.
Napoli will miss you deeply.
We’ll see how this effects the Italy team.
Will be OK for the Playoffs.
Adl is a treasonous leader and is destroying seria A. This guy is a disaster of an owner and most player in Napoli have ended this way and let’s not forget coaches. In the end the fight and italian govt are complicit in this crime against italy, but the fans misinformed is a issue but mostly the corrupt media that misinform the public. Thesy r the betrayer of italy and its public.
Horrendous waste of talent. ADL needs to go if this is the kind of thing he allows to happen. He’s always been mad but this is off the wall.
Little man for a little league. lol. I just think he retired to early at 30 years old cause that’s really what he just did.
He would be dum. It to take it that is a lot of money compared to 3.5 they wanted to give him . People can say what they want but when they kind of money is offered how can you say no
Napoli will miss you, CAPITANO!
Great money for him, but his career is as good as over now.
But he was at Napoli for a long time, and they never won much when they had a better team than they do now, so it was unlikely to happen for him there now.
It’ll be tough for Napoli to replace him.
I`m torn on this one. Serie A is obviously more preferred to me, but I know Toronto well and have even attended a few TFC matches.
Agreed. With Mertens also up there in age, he`ll be gone too.
Those Cavani, Hamsik, Higuain years were pretty good to them. They came close one year. I can see a downward slide for them.
ADL could have avoided this if he just pony up another 500K NET. What`s more, his comment made it seem like he didn`t mind if he left.
I like Napoli in that they are one of the few clubs owned by an Italian, but this didn`t go down well. From what I see from Napoli fans, most blame ADL.
Also, MLSE/TFC really know how to market this stuff. Getting Fabrizio Romano involved.
Good exposure for him too. Was probably even there at the signing.
@ Gman
Be civil brother. No need to revert to degrading Serie A as a little league.
That is insane money. Even if Napoli could have matched his current salary, that’s Premier League cash, not Serie A. He needed to be retained for 2-years and I see no way that Napoli couldn’t have convinced him to stay with a decent offer – the €3.5m proposal was a disgrace.
Napoli without Insigne and by the looks of it Mertens next year? That’s going to be horrible.
@Dan, Serie A was not the league I was referring to as little.