Juventus and Italian forward Sebastian Giovinco is set to join MLS side Toronto FC at the end of the current season in the Serie A, as reported by the Canadian and Italian media on Sunday. 

They said an announcement was expected imminently for the transfer of the 27-year-old nicknamed the “Atomic Ant”, who will be out of contract with the Serie A leaders in July. Toronto FC themselves, posted the news on their official Twitter account, with the hashtag #CiaoGiovinco being used to welcome their new player, ahead of his official move at the end of the season. 

Canadian media reported the four-year deal would be worth $7million (£4.6m) a year, making him the second highest-paid player in the MLS after Orlando City’s Brazilian midfielder Kaká, who used to play for the likes of European sides Real Madrid and AC Milan earlier on in his career. The exact timing of the move remained unclear, with the MLS season starting in March.

Giovinco’s representatives reportedly met with TFC officials this week in Toronto and accepted the club’s offer of a lucrative four-year deal. The attacking midfielder, whose current contract with Juventus runs out this summer, reportedly had a number of European suitors but has apparently chosen to take the path less travelled by many footballers and to go to MLS.

The former Parma player has been out of favour at Juve under coach Massimiliano Allegri, appearing in only six league games with two starts this season. However, he scored twice last Thursday in a 6-1 Coppa Italia win over Verona, after which Allegri said the player was not for sale and had not expressed a desire to leave.

He is set to join the club alongside former Sunderland player and US international Jozy Altidore - who has been suggested to be a direct replacement for Jermain Defoe, the experienced English striker who was reportedly unsettled in America despite flourishing in the MLS; leaving last week to come back to the Premier League, joining Sunderland in the process.

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About the author
Roberto Rojas
Writing about the beautiful game. Cohost of the @LowLimitFutbol Podcast.