By Canadian Press

Toronto FC opens doors to Giovinco, allowing former MLS MVP to use training facility

Aug 15, 2023 | 8:47 AM

Toronto FC has opened its doors again to Sebastian Giovinco.

The 36-year-old Italian is not back with the MLS club. But the former MLS MVP, has once again indicated his interest in resuming his career in Toronto colours and the team has offered to let the club legend use its north Toronto training facility.

Giovinco, who still has a home in Toronto, is not training with the team yet but club officials are keeping an eye on him to see what’s left in the tank.

Toronto (3-11-10) could use some scoring help., It has been blanked in its last six outings in all competitions.

Giovinco remains the club’s all-time leading scorer with 83 goals in all competitions, four ahead of Jozy Altidore and 24 ahead of veteran TFC midfielder Jonathan Osorio.

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The diminutive forward, known as the Atomic Ant, left TFC in January 2019 over a salary dispute. 

Unwilling to meet his contract demands, Toronto sold Giovinco to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal FC prior to the 2019 season. At US$7.1 million, the former Juventus forward was the highest-earner in MLS in 2018.

The Italian quit the well-heeled Saudi club, which is currently finishing up a deal to acquire Brazil’s Neymar, in August 2021 by mutual agreement.

He spent time at Toronto’s training camp in California in January 2022, albeit without a contract. At the time, club president Bill Manning said Giovinco was interested in finishing his career with the MLS team and that money was not an issue.

But nothing came of it.

And in February 2022, Giovinco signed a short-term deal with Italy’s Sampdoria through June of that year.

Giovinco won MVP honours in his debut 2015 season, when he was directly involved in 65 per cent of Toronto’s 58 goals with 22 goals and 16 assists. In all competitions, he had 83 goals and 64 assists in 142 appearances.

His MLS totals over four seasons were 68 goals and 52 assists in 114 regular-season games (111 starts).

In December 2020, Giovinco was named to the league’s list of 25 greatest players, alongside the likes of David Beckham, Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane and Canadian Dwayne De Rosario.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 15, 2023

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press