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It looks as though Toronto FC is not finished plugging the club’s leaky backline.
Reports have been flooding out of Europe for weeks that TFC is close to acquiring Norwegian centre back Sigurd Rosted.
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As of Tuesday night, it was reported that the 28-year-old Oslo native is all but signed a deal with the Reds, though a TFC front office person told the Toronto Sun that the club “feels positive with the conversations but the paperwork isn’t finalized” — meaning, barring a last-minute snag, Rosted will join TFC’s backline this season.
The signing is the second centre back acquired by the Reds in the off-season. Earlier, the Reds signed free agent CB Matt Hedges, a former MLS Defender of the Year.
Toronto certainly needs help on the backline. Last year, the Reds gave up 66 goals in 34 MLS games, the third-most in the league.
TFC also acquired 2022 MLS all-star goalkeeper Sean Johnson this week.
Rosted has played the past four seasons with Brøndby IF of the Danish Super League.
The Reds head back to San Diego this week for the second stage of MLS pre-season camp. TFC will play four games at the Coachella Valley Invitational at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, Calif. The first match will be against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Feb. 8.
The MLS regular season begins for MLS on Feb. 25, when the Reds travel to D.C. United. Toronto’s home opener at BMO Field will be March 11 against the Columbus Crew.
REDS TO FACE VAUGHAN OR MONTREAL IN CDN CHAMPS
Canada Soccer held the draw for the 2023 Canadian Championships on Tuesday night and TFC will meet the winner of CF Montreal and Vaughan SC in the quarterfinals in early May at BMO Field. Vaughan SC plays in League1 Ontario.
TFC and the Vancouver Whitecaps earned a bye in the first round as a result of qualifying for the Canadian Championship final in 2022.
The Reds have won the Voyageurs Cup a record eight times.
FORMER TFC FORWARD RICKETTS RETIRES
Former TFC forward and Canadian national team regular Tosaint Ricketts has retired as a player.
Ricketts, 35, played for TFC for three seasons (2016-18) and scored 13 goals for the Reds.
He also played for a number of clubs in Europe and spent his final four seasons with the Vancouver Whitecaps of MLS.
Ricketts represented Canada from 2011 to 2022 and retires as the nation’s seventh leading scorer in Men’s national team history.