Jozy Altidore ready for Toronto FC return after freeze

Forward Jozy Altidore and club Toronto FC are in the final stages of a tie-up that could see the player return to training with the full squad on Monday, sources told ESPN.

At this point, everything indicates that Altidore – who has been forced by the club to train alone for over a month – is available for selection for the next TFC game on July 17 against Orlando City.

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Paradigm Sports’ Soroosh Abdi, who is Altidore’s agent, would only make a two-word statement to ESPN: “Jozy is back.”

Altidore is currently en route to Toronto from the team’s training base in South Florida and is expected to have another conversation with Toronto management to ensure all parties are on the same page. .

Toronto FC President Bill Manning told ESPN: “We are looking to resolve the situation. [with Altidore], and I think we all want to move on. “

Altidore was ordered from the club to train alone following a verbal altercation with then-coach Chris Armas in a 1-0 loss to Orlando City on May 22. Altidore was replaced in the 70th minute by Ayo Akinola, and sources told ESPN that Altidore forcefully told Armas that the two forwards should have been on the pitch together. Toronto responded by ordering Altidore to train on his own, although he was not officially suspended.

Armas was dismissed from his post last Sunday after a 1-8-2 start to the season, opening the door for Altidore to return. On the day Armas’s sacking was announced, Managing Director Ali Curtis said he would hold further talks with Altidore and at, “Stay tuned”.

Bringing Altidore back into the fold is the latest development in what has been a roller coaster ride between the player and TFC. In January, as rumors circulated about a potential transfer involving the U.S. international striker, sources told ESPN that Altidore’s relationship with Curtis reached a breaking point during his contract.

At the time, sources told ESPN that the years and money remaining on Altidore’s current deal was the main sticking point. Altidore signed a three-year extension in 2019 until 2022. A source said the deal includes a no-trade clause. According to the MLS Players’ Association, the guaranteed compensation for Altidore in 2021 is $ 3.6 million and is expected to be paid in full.

Considering Altidore’s contract, a trade within MLS would be difficult to achieve unless Toronto recovers a significant chunk of his salary. Earlier this year, a source told ESPN that a Liga MX team were interested in acquiring Altidore.

Altidore has spent part of the past seven seasons with Toronto, a period in which he scored 67 goals and added 24 assists in 140 league and playoff appearances. Around this time, he led the Reds to a domestic treble in 2017. During his career, he spent time with the New York Red Bulls, Villarreal, Xerez, Hull City, Bursaspor, AZ Alkmaar and Sunderland.

Internationally, Altidore has made 115 appearances for the United States, scoring 42 goals.