Toronto FC signs Doneil Henry for remainder of 2022 season

Toronto FC has completed the signing Doneil Henry on a deal through 2022.

A free agent after getting waived by LAFC on July 3rd, the Canada international is now back where it all began for him.

“Doneil has good experience in the league and can provide us with some backline depth,” said head coach Bob Bradley.

“He obviously has strong ties to Toronto and to the club and we know he’s excited to rejoin the team.”

Having trained with the Toronto FC first team during the week of July 18th, the Brampton native seemingly impressed enough to earn himself a deal for the rest of the 2022 campaign.

Amid TFC’s ongoing defensive woes, Henry will have his sights set on coming into the side and shoring up a backline that has seen the Reds fail to keep an MLS clean sheet through 21 games in 2022.

Henry joins Chris Mavinga, Shane O’Neill and Lukas MacNaughton as the natural centre-backs that Bob Bradley currently has at his disposal. Domenico Criscito is also more than capable of playing in the heart of the defence, but it looks as though the club will prefer to use the former Genoa man at left-back.

For Henry, this move could not have come at a better time. As well as getting to be a part of the Reds’ ongoing rebuild, the 29-year-old can now earn invaluable minutes ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Henry began his journey with the Toronto FC academy in 2008 and worked his way up the ranks before becoming the club’s first ever homegrown player. The defender made his senior debut on June 2nd, 2010, playing the full 90 in a 0-0 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2010 Canadian Championship action.

Following 93 first team appearances between 2010 and 2014, Henry was sold to Cypriot club Apollon Limassol.

A move to English Premier League side West Ham United in 2015 then followed. His one appearance for the Hammers came in a UEFA Europa League qualifying match against FC Astra.

Henry never played in the Premier League and spent almost all of his time in West London out on loan.

Ahead of the 2018 MLS season, the centre-back crossed the Atlantic and signed for the Whitecaps. Between 2018 and 2019, Henry featured 42 times for Vancouver, scoring four goals. Up next, two years in South Korea with the Suwon Samsung Bluewings.

In February 2022, Henry returned to MLS and signed for LAFC, where his spell was short and not so sweet. The Canada international would go on to make just six appearances in all competitions before getting waived.

While a homecoming is always heartwarming, Henry is here to prove his worth, not just to Toronto FC, but also to John Herdman and the Canadian men’s national team.

Moreover, the TFC faithful will be eager to see what Henry has in store for the rest of the season.