Once again, Toronto FC enters MLS season with more questions than answers

Toronto FC's new coach Robin Fraser speaks media during a press conference in Toronto, Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Toronto FC has a new coach in Fraser and a new slogan -- Hunt for Glory. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Toronto FC has a new coach in Robin Fraser and a new mantra — “Hunt for Glory.” But like recent years, the 2025 season opens with more questions than answers.

TFC kicks off its MLS season Saturday at D.C. United, boasting few reinforcements and with the club actively looking to shed high-priced Italian star Lorenzo Insigne.

D.C. United (10-14-10) finished 10th in the Eastern Conference last season, tied with Atlanta on points but missing out on the final playoff spot through goal difference. Toronto (11-19-4) was three points in arrears in 11th.

Since Greg Vanney stepped down as coach in December 2020, Toronto has missed the playoffs for four straight seasons while going through five coaches (Chris Armas, Bob Bradley and John Herdman and caretakers Javier Perez and Terry Dunfield) with a combined league record of 30-75-31.

Fraser, an assistant to Vanney from 2015 to 2019 before leaving to take charge of the Colorado Rapids, has been universally welcomed back. The 58-year-old former MLS defender of the year is a calm presence with links to the franchise’s glory days.

A turnaround is expected.

“As I said to you last October I think we’ve lost our way at TFC,” MLSE boss Keith Pelley told a reception of season ticket-holders recently. “Having not made the playoffs in the last four years in unacceptable … Our only goal is to contend for an MLS Cup on an annual basis.”

Pelley believes Fraser and general manager Jason Hernandez have “the right chemistry and the right culture to do so.”

Hernandez, a former TFC defender who was part of the 2017 treble-winning campaign, also points to his and Fraser’s ties to the franchise.

“It means to us what it means to you … Because quite frankly we have as much skin in the game as anyone,” he told the season-ticket holders.

Turning the team around is going to take time. Toronto, which finished 22nd overall last year, is very much a work in progress.

“I understand. Fans want to win yesterday,” said Fraser. “And they want to keep winning every single day. The truth of the matter is it’s not an easy process to win an MLS championship. And we are in the infancy of certainly of what is a new regime and new ideas.”

“We are doing our best to put together a really good team,” he added,

There are problems all over the field.

Shoring up a defence that conceded 61 goals is Job No. 1. Beefing up an attack that only scored 40 goals is another priority. And depth behind the starting 11 is questionable.

The league’s own website, in its first “power rankings” of the new season, has TFC pegged to finish 30th and last.

Look for Italian star Federico Bernardeschi to play a more attacking role under Fraser, after earning all-star honours as a wingback under Herdman. But Insigne has been told he is surplus to requirements and was in Toronto earlier this week while the club wrapped up training camp in Florida.

The club has been unable to move Insigne, whose salary of US$15.4 million was second only to Lionel Messi in the league last year. The Italian is under contract through June 2026.

It’s down to who will blink first.

Is Insigne willing to earn his bumper salary while being frozen out? And how much is Toronto willing to pay to shed the 33-year-old attacker?

Captain Jonathan Osorio insists the saga has not been a distraction.

“That situation is between Lorenzo and the club,” he said Thursday. “It’s really not my place or any other player’s place to speak on it, honestly.”

Osorio has nothing but good things to say about Fraser’s early days at the hem.

“Honestly it’s been amazing,” he said. “I think it’s been really good for the group, for everybody — for everybody in the building as well. It’s been, honestly, a breath of fresh air.”

Spanish midfielder Alonso Coello agrees.

“Different system, different philosophy from John (Herdman) but I think it fits a lot of the players we have and it fits the way that we want to be playing I think it will be entertaining for the fans, for the people watching. And that freedom is going to allow many players to showcase their game.”

Toronto has added Norwegian international forward Ola Brynhildsen and Canadian winger Theo Corbeanu on loan from Denmark’s FC Midtjylland and Spain’s Granada CF, respectively. While Corbeanu has looked lively in pre-season, Brynhildsen has not played a competitive game since December and will need time to ramp up his fitness.

Goalkeeper Adisa De Rosario, the son of former TFC captain Dwayne De Rosario, and midfielder Markus Cimermancic, formerly of Toronto FC II, have both been added to the first-team roster via homegrown player contracts.

And, according to a source, Toronto is in pursuit of England youth international centre back Zane Monlouis, who captains Arsenal’s under-21 side.

Gone are goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh, defenders Aimé Mabika, Shane O’Neill and Luke Singh, midfielder Brandon Servania and forward Prince Owusu.

Toronto supporters can celebrate the team’s new home jersey, a return to its trademark red. But they will have to wait until March 15 for the home opener against the Chicago Fire. After D.C., Toronto plays at Orlando and Cincinnati.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 21, 2025.