Andrea D’Amico, the intermediary who worked on Lorenzo Insigne’s move to Toronto FC, confirms it’ll be from July and doubts the Napoli captain will become ‘invisible’ to Italy coach Roberto Mancini in MLS.
The forward put pen to paper on the contract in a hotel in Rome yesterday afternoon, believed to be a four-year deal with option for a fifth earning €11.5m per season gross plus bonuses.
Although there is the possibility of a January switch, the contract is only valid from July 1, the day after his deal with Napoli expires.
“Working for Toronto FC as their representative, it was very difficult to keep it all under wraps,” intermediary D’Amico told Radio Marte.
He was one of those at the meeting yesterday, along with agent Vincenzo Pisacane, Insigne’s wife Jenny and representatives from Toronto FC.
“Toronto will certainly not have Insigne in January, the move was always meant to be for July. Now Lorenzo is focused on the season with Napoli. I find nothing strange about this, it is a job.”
There have been many comments about the transfer to MLS, suggesting Insigne is purely following money and accepting a minor league when he is still at the peak of his powers.
Sebastian Giovinco complained he became ‘invisible’ for the Italy managers after moving to Major League Soccer, so could Insigne see his Azzurri career dissipate going into the 2022 World Cup?
“Insigne is the captain of Napoli and won the European Championship only a few months ago,” replied D’Amico.
“People have short memories in sport. I don’t think he risks becoming invisible to Italy. It’s an important experience for him, in an increasingly competitive league. They’ll organise the World Cup there in 2026 and Italy could well end up staying in Toronto for logistical reasons in that tournament, while eight or nine Italian clubs are now owned by American and Canadian businesses.”
Others pointed out that it’s a pity Insigne felt the need to accept Toronto FC due to a relative lack of other offers, but did the Napoli captain turn down other Serie A sides for fear of facing his beloved Partneopei?
“You’d have to ask his agent that. I represented Toronto and am proud to have worked on this operation.”
Insigne a Toronto, l’intermediario D’Amico: “Operazione per l’estate, non lascerà Napoli a gennaio” https://t.co/ypVuincjwp
— TUTTOmercatoWEB (@TuttoMercatoWeb) January 5, 2022
I am afraid he has gone for money. Shame as he could have gone to the Premiership. I am afraid he will be forgotten for the Azzurri in the very near future just like Giovinco was and rightly so.
In this whole affair, ADL has, as we say in Los Angeles, “jumped the shark”. I simply do not understand how he could treat Insigne with such disrespect. I fear this will also damage the Partenopei as a team. Stupid, stupid, stupid!
But now I have an excuse to attend the MLS games when Toronto come to Los Angeles.
Yeah ok mr. Intermeadiary. Of course he will be forgotten in the MLS. It’s not like he’s going to play in England or in Spain or in Champions League. Does Giovinco ring a bell????You say that because there must be something in it for you too!
The two players are completely different Jovingo at Juventus was not playing was seated in the bench Insigne is the captain of Napoli for Jovingo was much easier to accept the deal
It is about money…plain & simple. A distant second is ya…for sure it will be a new experience for Insigne’s family but let’s not try to fool anyone. MLS is by far an inferior league so why should Mancini be supportive of Insigne? To be the best you have to train & play with the best. That will no longer be the case. It is no different than players jumping to China for ridiculous wages.
He will be forgotten, it’s not a competitive league. That said he is probably happy having won a title with his national team! Not many can say that
If we qualify to the World Cup, he’s only going to miss about 12-14 Serie A matches (from late August to mid November).
Unlike the other Italy players, he will have about 1 month off prior to Training Camp. If anything this rest will help him compared to other European-based players.
In 2014, didn’t Costa Rica have their share of MLS players and they made a deep run? (not that I know the make up of their team but I think they did).
Julio Cesar played 7 matches for Toronto FC/ MLS in early to mid 2014 and Brazil still called him as their #1.
If this is indeed an issue then it’s Chiesa on the Left, Politano on the Right. What to say?
Maybe bernadeschi on the left?
Or chiesa left berardi right.
IF italy beat mscedonia and portugal which i truly hope italy wins but sadly think they will flop.
Insigne will forsure be at 2022 WC.
But then hes done after that.
I think they will flop as well.
When you are down to 35% of Italian players in your own domestic league and prefer absolute mediocrity from the ends of the world, this is the Result.
Always present in the World Cup with a league filled with domestic players. But once they started dipping below 50%, it’s now 2 in a row.
But let’s blame the players, let’s insult them, insult the Manager, and not those in charge that allowed this to happen.
I just cannot believe the negativity of what is being written by Canadakid32 and Brandon and probably others after (I hope not). We have won the Euros when nobody thought we could at Wembley against England! We have a chance just like Portugal, Turkey and Nr Macedonia have. Believe in the Azzurri otherwise please please please support some other national team.
TONINO i love the azzurri. And always will. Im proud of my heritage. But surely i never ever in my life have ever thought my team could go with a perfect record and win every game. This time is now. I just do not think they will win. They are missing some spirit from euro 2020. Maybe when spina comes back he will help ignite them !! You have never thought your team may lose a game not ever?
Tonino,
I’m not going to pretend everything is fine with Italian football. I have not blamed the players (except Jorginho) or Manager. I am blaming those that run the league, and Owners.
I knew somebody would reply with “yeah but they won the Euro’s”. For the millionth time — they won it despite the handicaps that exist.
Do the math. When you have a few players to chose from, how TF can you succeed? Udinese play 10 stranieri, and 1 Italian, the GK. 1-4 Italian players per team per Starting Lineup is simply not enough to sustain a high level. It was never this bad in the past and we always pretty much qualfied. Now the numbers dip and since we’ve lifted it in 2006, we’ve had two 1st Round eliminations and 1, possibly 2 non-qualificatons. All the while the number of Italians in Serie A decrease. Coincidence?
Turkish League is trash, but chalk full of Turks, some in other higher leagues. Portugal? Excellent level domestic league full of their own players. Portuguese players, certainly more than Italian, in demand and playing big roles for great teams in Europe. Portugal are a smaller nation than Italy but yet they have more players than us that are playing in the top leagues in each nation. I could care less about them having more players playing in the PL. That’s not what concerns me. I’m saying Serie A. Look at this current Transfer Market and who is coming in. Buying non-Italian is all the rage. Only going to get worse.