Report: Jozy Altidore set to leave Toronto FC

TORONTO, Canada—Just hours after Reds’ 2021 season came to an end following a loss to CF Montreal in the Canadian Championship Final, world renowned transfer market guru Fabrizio Romano is reporting that the TFC legend Jozy Altidore is set to leave the club.

“Jozy Altidore’s set to leave Toronto FC – I’m told it’s done, the decision has been made,” wrote Romano in a tweet Sunday evening. “Work in progress for the termination of his contract, Altidore will be available on the market as a free agent.

“Toronto will have a DP spot free – ready for a new signing.”

If true, which I’d assume is very much the case, the move should come as no surprise.

From a TFC perspective, it’s crucial that the club frees up a designated player slot, as Altidore has not lived up to that tag for the last two seasons. The former U.S. international had yet another difficult season, appearing in just 16 MLS games, scoring four times after netting just two for the club the season prior. He was also exiled from the team for nearly two months midway through the year after a rift with former coach Chris Armas.

It is unclear at this time if Toronto FC will use its lone offseason buyout on Altidore or if this will be a mutual termination. For context, the Reds have just one buyout they can use in the offseason which, if used, Altidore’s salary will not count against the budget next season.

Altidore did not dress for TFC in Sunday’s final. Waking the Red was told that Altidore was experiencing ‘flu-like symptoms’ — not related to COVID-19 — and did not make the trip to Montreal.

The legendary TFC No. 17 gave us that goal, he gave us other countless iconic moments, heck, he helped save us from the mediocrity that was Toronto FC before his arrival. If Nov. 7, 2021 was indeed the last time that we as fans were able to witness Altidore in a Toronto FC shirt, in spite of how you may feel about him now, it’ll be a sorrowful moment for every supporter that has lived through the highs and lows of this team for the past half-decade or more. The club would not be where it’s at now without the footprint left by Altidore, and I’d go as far as saying soccer in Toronto may not be where it’s at now without the impact of the American striker.

Here we go... More to come.