TORONTO – Lorenzo Insigne like Sebastian Giovinco. The all- star striker playmaker for Napoli of the Italian Serie A and the Italian national team is apparently close to accepting an enticing offer from the ownership of Toronto FC for the coming season. 

His current contract is set to expire. It is rumoured that he is unhappy in the face of the intransigence of the president of the Neapolitan club, Aurelio De Laurentis, who appears to be committed to cutting costs and signings. On the table is a competitive and lucrative offer worth close to $25 million Canadian, per year!

Several Italian media are abuzz with the news fueled by the guru of the transfer market, Gianluca Di Marzio. That would be an irresistible offer for Insigne: a five-year contract worth 11.5 million Euro per season plus a further 4.5 in bonuses linked to goals and assists.

Rumors about his possible transfer to the MLS have been swirling for months. They have developed a head of steam because the Napoli management has decided to implement a new hiring policy predicated on salary reduction, cost control and greater investments in young talents.

Insigne, 30, is a player linked to Naples and Napoli by a very close relationship. His attorney has carried out a long negotiation away from the spotlight to guarantee him a renewal with the Neapolitan club, but parties remain far apart. Apparently Napoli would have offered its captain a three-year renewal at 3.5 million euros plus bonuses.

What is at stake for Insigne is his last important contract. If the figure from TFC holds up, the Italian star would earn in a year what Napoli is offering in three. In short, Insigne is really thinking about it, also because time marches on and other concrete offers on the horizon are not visible.
In recent months, Insigne’s name had been shopped to numerous top European clubs. Beppe Marotta of Inter, when asked, had confirmed a certain interest, without going into details.

The transfer market very often feeds on suggestions and hypotheses, unconfirmed rumors perhaps put around by the same agents of the players to fuel possible negotiations. Insigne has been variously approached by Bayern Munich, Milan, Barcelona, several Premier League clubs, but so far no one has taken the plunge.

In recent days, Tottenham’s interest drew attention popped up, reinforced by the fact that its new coach, Antonio Conte, would have put pressure on the Director of Player Personal Fabio Paratici to secure the Italian national playmaker. Even in this case, however, negotiations appear stalled.

The table of possible suitors, thus, begins to thin out and the lucrative offer arrived from Toronto. It must make Insigne’s attachment to Naples and the Club waver. Let’s be clear, the Italian would prefer a more competitive championship than the MLS in the year of the World Cup. Giovinco, it is useful to remember, lost his national [blue] jersey after joining TFC.

But Mancini, the Italia head coach, would hardly give up on Insigne, regardless of where he plays next year.

Pic from Uefa Nations League’s profile on Twitter (https://twitter.com/euro2024/status/1403452498778767369)