Could Federico Bernardeschi return to Italy this summer?
When it rains, it pours.
A win against D.C. United this past Saturday helped take away some of the negative attention Toronto FC received last week from both The Athletic’s article on the team’s dysfunction and when Federico Bernardeschi complained about Bob Bradley’s tactics and training, ultimately leading to a one-game absence for the Italian star.
However, that win has done nothing to stop transfer rumours, especially for Bernardeschi.
It’s important to note that none of these rumours are from reliable sources yet and are merely speculation. But, after changing agents back to the one who helped him get his transfer from Fiorentina to Juventus, Bernardeschi has now been linked with potential summer transfers to a host of Italian clubs. Most notably, Salernitana (tweet above) and AC Milan and Lazio (tweet below).
Despite no reliable sources linking Bernardeschi with a move away this summer yet, there is some credence to this speculation. Outside of Bernardeschi’s public criticisms of Bradley, he was also a specific focus of The Athletic’s article.
The piece highlights Bernardeschi’s rumoured tension with Lorenzo Insigne. Moreover, that tension seems to stem from Insigne receiving the captain’s armband, in pay differences, and from Fede’s compatriot having more marketing opportunities than him.
The article also mentions that Bernardeschi may be developing a fractious relationship with the team after incidents with using a vape pen on the team plane and at the team’s training facility, undermining Michael Bradley’s position as team captain because he’s the coach’s son and also calling Mark-Anthony Kaye, “Bob’s other son.”
Adding potential fuel to this fire was Insigne having his best-ever performance for TFC this past weekend when Bernardeschi was absent. Gone was the visible frustration with teammates and the unwillingness to track back to defend. He looked like a man on a mission who was dedicated to helping the team win in any way possible.
Of course, all of this could just be speculation and using different data points to create a story. Bernardeschi’s salary may be too much of an obstacle to get a move away from TFC. He may also be happy in Toronto and winning may help to cure the pent-up frustration that spilled out publicly.
The only thing that is certain is what happens next in this ongoing TFC drama will be popcorn worthy.
As Julian de Guzman said this week in a TSN Radio interview: “This is TFC. There will always be drama.”
Just random speculation on where he might fit back in Italy based only on Fede’s frustrated media comments. No inside info.
He’s staying here. He likes Toronto and he’s not interested in taking way less $ to go back.
The only way it could possibly happen is if TFC agreed to pay a huge chunk of his salary for the remainder of his contract, and I think they’d rather suspend him if he held out insisting on such a move. He’s too brand-conscious to let anything like that happen.
I expect him to play his best game in a month tonight to quiet speculation.
It’s times like this I appreciate the wisdom of Yoda Sapong. This is our focus, it drives our algorithm, so it is our reality. Nice that you mentioned the “no reliable source” part of the rumours.
I’m dug in for tonight, to see the rebound from Saturday with the feeling of a win and teamwork, the healing of sharing and the “good vibrations” CJ spoke of this week. I want things to work and for the DP’s to bring Bob to reality while also being knocked if their perch. The bar is high but it’s what these clowns are paid for.
Hopefully the new agent will help get Fede out of TFC in the summer window. Perhaps the change in agent came because the previous agent (the one that got him to MLSE) told him not to speak publicly and behave professionally.
The dark side suggests that Fede now understands that in order to help himself get moved from MLS back to Italy that he has to help himself get the move. In other words, behave and perform like a professional player and perhaps teams will take notice. On his current form and behaviour, no one is making a serious move for Fede. Of the two Italians, Fede is the likeliest to move as he is younger, has a lower salary and higher potential than Insigne.
Makes you think, based on Insigne’s last performance, that he too is performing to angle for a move away from TFC this summer.
TFC would be much better off with younger DP’s anyway to go with Osorio, who I think is the third DP at the moment?
I don’t know what you have been watching for the past year but without Insigne and Bernardeschi we would have won about once or twice without them since they arrived.
Buddy your comments are absolute nonsense, all of them. It’s actually remarkable.
This TL character is just having fun with us all, I think they call it trolling . Agreed HH just nothing but ridiculous no brain comments, maybe another one of Bob’s “sons” with a WTR account.