The Alejandro Pozuelo Transfer to Toronto FC

www.thestar.com (YORICK JANSENS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES)

There has been so much chatter from the press and from social media about this whole "Alejandro Pozuelo to Toronto FC" situation. I have no choice but to address this in a blog post. The circumstances for this transfer are both intriguing and unbelievable, and so I need to dive in and give my thoughts on this whole situation. Pozuelo's potential transfer to Toronto FC seems to be an even bigger talking point this year than even Sebastian Giovinco's departure.

For what it is worth, I have to give Toronto FC management credit in knowing exactly what the current squad needs, and their relentlessness in trying to sign Pozuelo. However, what can be seen as relentlessness by one party can also be seen as desperation in the eyes of the other party. Pozuelo's former club, KRC Genk in Belgium, were not going to give up this player easily. If Pozuelo did not have a release clause in his contract with Genk, then the Belgian club could have charged TFC a much larger transfer fee. The release clause amount seemed to be a large amount of money to begin with, but Toronto FC, under the deep pockets of MLSE, were determined to get their man.

It was widely reported that Pozuelo wanted to leave Genk and that he was under pressure to sign a new contract with the club. It is believable that Pozuelo did not like the environment at the club, but I would not be surprised if Pozuelo simply wanted to join a club so that he can obtain a bigger salary, which Toronto FC can easily provide. However, if Pozuelo is trying to force his way out a club, what is to stop him from trying to force his way out of Toronto FC in the near future for an even bigger salary from a club in China or the Middle East? I compare Toronto FC's signing of Pozuelo to a man getting a new girlfriend, but she cheated on her ex-boyfriend with him. At 27 years old, maybe Pozuelo knows his limits as a player and is now trying to obtain the biggest salary he can. Knowing all of this, it looks like Toronto FC is willing to take the risk and hope that the club can get a good few positive years out of him.

With Toronto FC's signing of Alejandro Pozuelo, there is going to be immense pressure on him to immediately improve the squad, and provide the necessary goals and assists in his first games as a Toronto FC player. There is also the pressure of Pozuelo trying to fill the seats at BMO Field and captivate the casual fans as Giovinco did. Pozuelo is not as recognizable of a name as Giovinco, and I think that casual Toronto FC fans will unfairly compare Pozuelo to Giovinco, even if they are not similar players. I think it is safe to say that Alejandro Pozuelo is the player that will be the most pressured in Toronto FC history, considering Giovinco's messy departure from the club. Toronto FC management have to hope that Pozuelo's play can attract fans to flock to BMO Field as Giovinco did. The good thing is that Pozuelo is already match-fit, so I believe that will increase his chances on making an immediate positive impact on the squad, but because he has already played the majority of the Belgian league season, and will now immediately play the grueling MLS season, Pozuelo may become fatigued during the season. This is something that Toronto FC will have to manage throughout the season.

Toronto FC's signing of Alejandro Pozuelo is a great one, considering the squad's current lack of depth, but I cannot help but think what would happen if Pozuelo does not perform to expectations. I do not think it would be as bad as when Jermain Defoe left the club, but it would be yet another blight in a history of disappointing Toronto FC signings.

The pressure is indeed real. Do not let the city down.