TRANSFER TRACKER STATUS: Report
Toronto FC are nearing a deal for Genoa defender Domenico Criscito, according to a report from Fabrizio Romano.
The 35-year-old, who can play left back or center back, has been linked to the Reds for several weeks as head coach and sporting director Bob Bradley continues to revamp their squad.Â
Should Criscito arrive, he'd be Toronto's second Italian addition of the offseason after they previously signed forward Lorenzo Insigne for the summer. Insigne currently captains Napoli.
Criscito has earned 26 appearances with Italy’s national team, last featuring in an October 2018 friendly against Ukraine. He was part of their 2010 World Cup side, starting all three group-stage games for the Azzurri.
Criscito captains Genoa, the Italian Serie A side where he’s amassed 29 goals and 31 assists in 269 all-competition appearances since making his debut in 2003. He’s also briefly featured at Juventus, plus spent most of the 2010s at Zenit Saint Petersburg, where he won two Russian Premier League titles.
Toronto deployed a new-look backline for their 2022 regular-season opener last weekend, a 1-1 draw at FC Dallas. Canadian homegrowns Jacob Shaffelburg and Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty featured at fullback, while new DP signing Carlos Salcedo started at center back alongside Chris Mavinga before free-agent signing Shane O’Neill subbed on at halftime.
