Toronto FC promote goalkeeper Kevin Silva, re-sign TFC II players

BRAMPTON, Canada—Toronto FC promoted promising Toronto FC II goalkeeper Kevin Silva on Friday, signing him to a first team deal after a strong season in 2019 with TFC II.

Silva, who is now the third shot-stopper on the first team, along with Alex Bono and Quentin Westberg, played in eight games for TFC II in 2019, on loan from Heart of Midlothian FC Reserves, picking up two clean sheets in the process.

He signed permanently for The Young Reds on January 19 and has now made the jump up.

“Kevin has worked hard and performed well throughout his time with TFC II,” said Toronto FC General Manager Ali Curtis in a press release. “He has a great attitude and will continue to develop working alongside Quentin and Alex on the first team.”

Toronto FC have had a pattern of using their third keeper to double-up as their TFC II starter, and with Silva pencilled in to fill that role, it made sense to give him a first-team deal, should he be called upon for whatever reason.

Toronto FC II also announced that they've re-signed a number of players.

Earlier in the week, the club announced the return of midfielder Matthew Srbely. Srbely, a 21-year-old product of the TFC Academy, has played 51 times in three seasons for The Young Reds. He's scored seven goals and added nine assists during his professional career thus far.

Next, on Thursday, the club signed 2020 MLS SuperDraft pick Nyal Higgins. Selected 19th overall by Toronto FC, the 22-year-old from Ajax, Ontario spent his college soccer career between Oakland University (2016-2018) and Syracuse University (2019), appearing in 68 games.

Finally, also on Thursday, they announced that they have signed two academy products, midfielder Antonio Carlini and defender Themi Antonoglou, to professional contacts. Both born in 2001, the two young players already have some USL League One experience.

Carlini made three appearances, starting twice with Toronto FC II during the 2019 USL One regular season, and Antonoglou took the pitch twice, both off the bench.

More moves are expected as TFC II gear up for their second season in USL League One. Starting on July 18, the league will begin a 20-game schedule played over 15 weeks.

Each club will play an assigned "regional rival" four times – twice home and twice away – and seven of the other eight clubs once home and once away. Each club will have one club that they won't play against in the 2020 regular season as well. Toronto FC II's regional final is New England Revolution II, and the team they won't play is Greenville Triumph SC.