By Canadian Press

Source: Toronto FC close to signing designated player as Piatti undergoes medical

Feb 5, 2020 | 4:14 PM

Toronto FC appears to have found its new designated player in Argentine winger/forward Pablo Piatti.

A source, granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the subject, said the 30-year-old Piatti was in town undergoing medical tests.

The MLS club has been looking for a third designated player to bolster its attack. Room for another marquee player came open in December when captain Michael Bradley accepted a new deal using targeted allocation money.

Spanish playmaker Alejandro Pozuelo and U.S. international striker Jozy Altidore are Toronto’s current designated players.

Piatti, who played in Spain for Barcelona-based Espanyol, is no stranger to Toronto. He won the FIFA U-20 World Cup at BMO Field in 2007 with an Argentine side that featured Sergio Aguero, Angel di Maria and Maxi Moralez.

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His career since has featured highs and lows, with several injury disruptions.

The five-foot-four 139-pounder has an eye for goal and can score with both feet. He won a senior cap for Argentina in 2011 in a friendly against Poland.

Piatti started with Estudiantes in Argentina, debuting at 17 in 2006 under Diego Simeone, now manager of Atletico Madrid. Piatti’s header decided the game in injury time.

He moved with fanfare to Spain’s Almeria in 2008. Three years later he was sold to Valencia after Almeria was relegated. He fell out of favour with coach Miroslav Djukic but returned to form after the Serbian departed and flourished under Portugal’s Nuno Espirito Santo, now manager of England’s Wolves.

Piatti was loaned to Espanyol in 2016. The Barcelona club eventually exercised his buyout clause to make the move permanent.

Piatti suffered right knee ligament damage last February, prematurely ending his 2018-19 season with Espanyol. He has also suffered a fractured arm and skull during his career.

Toronto players and staff flew to California on Wednesday to continue training camp. The team opens the regular season Feb. 29 in San Jose.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2020.

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press