Toronto, Ontario, Canada — One of the most prolific strikers the MLS has ever seen is departing the league.
Toronto FC has sold striker Sebastian Giovinco to to Al-Hilal FC, a club based in Saudi Arabia. Giovinco arrived in Canada in 2015, making 142 appearances for the club. In his four years in MLS, Giovinco scored 83 goals. He also provided 64 assists, throughout all competitions including the regular season and playoffs.
The 32-year-old Italian formerly featured for Juventus. During his time with Juventus, from 2006-15, Giovinco spent some time on loan at Empoli and Parma. However, his numbers for Juventus include 93 appearances and 14 goals.
Giovinco’s time at Toronto was filled with success.
In 2017, Giovinco and Toronto FC lifted the MLS Cup trophy over the Seattle Sounders. That season, Toronto qualified and reached the CONCACAF Champions League, which the team competed in during 2018.
In 2016 and 2018, Toronto FC won two Canadian Championship titles. However, in his first season in the league, Giovinco won the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award — in addition to winning the Golden Boot and Newcomer of the Year awards.
Meanwhile, Giovinco was an MLS Best XI member three times and during all four seasons, he was selected as an MLS All-Star.
Internationally, he has made 23 appearances for Italy, scoring his first and only international goal against Japan in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Sebastian Giovinco departs Toronto FC 👋
He's been a serious hit in @MLS over the years 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ASXT6Ib2uv
— OneFootball HQ (@OneFootballHQ) January 31, 2019
Giovinco releases his own statement
While Giovinco kept it short and sweet in the Toronto FC press release, he made sure to tell his side of the story in detail on his personal Instagram page.
Giovinco, who was rumored to leave Toronto FC camp early due to transfer rumors, released his post on Wednesday night. In the beginning, he explains his years with Toronto and recaps the success he had. Giovinco also noted that he “transformed TFC and made it one of the best clubs in MLS and in North America.” However, immediately, Giovinco thanked the fans for being supportive.
Then, he thanked Toronto for being his home for the last four years.
“As I have always maintained, I was hoping to renew my contract and finish my playing career in a city that feels like home,” Giovinco wrote. “It is here where my daughter was born and where my son took his first steps on a football pitch. A place my family loves to live and wanted to call home for good.”
However, Giovinco then dives deep into the problems. He explained that a renewed contract was not foreseeable due to a clash “with a change in direction with current TFC management.”
“Recently, after refusing to exercise the club option for 2020, I was offered terms that I deemed unacceptable,” Giovinco wrote. “They may say I left for a more lucrative deal, but this is not the case. Their offer and lack of transparency is a clear message. It seems management prefers to focus on things other than the pure desire to win.”
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Giovinco then wrote that he believes the management saw him as no longer serving a purpose to the club.
“I would have accepted less to stay in Toronto,” Giovinco wrote. “Therefore, I reluctantly announce that my tenure as a TFC player has come to an end. I will now focus my attention and efforts towards another challenge. With me I bring beautiful memories. Toronto… thank you for everything you have taught me about myself and about life.”
The Giovinco departure is happening less than a month after the hiring of Ali Curtis as general manager. Curtis was formerly the general manager of the New York Red Bulls from 2014-17. He left the club after clashing with former head coach Jesse Marsch.
Curtis helped propel the New York Red Bulls II, the club’s USL side.
Meanwhile, in the coming days, there will be discussions of the recent moves Toronto FC are making. The club losing Giovinco is a big deal and there are rumors floating around about Jozy Altidore potentially making a move to the Mexican league this summer.
Curtis also enacted the trade of Nick Hagglund to FC Cincinnati. In exchange, Toronto acquired $300,000 in allocation money and the No. 1 slot in the MLS Allocation Order. With that, Toronto could potentially be eyeing up former USMNT players like Fabian Johnson, Geoff Cameron and possibly Bobby Wood.
Curtis also traded Victor Vasquez to Al-Arabi SC in Qatar.
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