Toronto FC star Lorenzo Insigne fires big-name agency after six months to sign with new European agents
You don’t change agents unless you’re looking to change your situation. Lorenzo Insigne has found new representation for the second time in six months.
We’re not saying he’s looking for a way out, but having new agents working the phones and their connections would be a good way to test the options if you’re trying to get out of an immovable contract with a club where you’ve struggled to find any rhythm or success.
Insigne revealed on Instagram this week that he has left the big-name agency he joined in July to team up with Miguel Alfaro and Alessandro Favaro of Team You First. We’re not making that up. That’s the actual name of the agency.
It’s worth noting that the two framed jerseys being covered by Alfaro and Favaro are Toronto FC jerseys. Intentional? We’ll let you decide.
According to Italian transfer reporter Nicolò Schira, Insigne made the change with the intention of returning to Europe before the end of the January transfer window.
At the beginning of July Insigne left his previous agent Vincenzo Pisacane of Gev Sport & Management and signed with large agency firm CAA Stellar. It was heavily speculated at the time that Insigne was looking for a summer move, with Turkish giants Galatasaray and Saudi Arabian clubs reportedly making contact with Toronto FC. A move never materialized and TFC won just a single game for the rest of the season.
It is a surprise to see any player in the first half of a multi-year deal leave representation at CAA Stellar, one of the premier agency firms for soccer stars worldwide. Led by A-list agents Jonathan Barnett and David Manasseh, some of CAA Stellar’s clients include Manchester City and England pair Jack Grealish and Kalvin Phillips, Real Madrid star midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, Manchester United and England left-back Luke Shaw and many more.
At Team You First, Insigne joins a roster that includes Women’s World Cup champion and former Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas, Villarreal’s Spanish international Gerard Moreno, and Osasuna’s David García.
TFC head coach John Herdman, general manager Jason Hernandez, and president Bill Manning all stressed at the club’s year-end media availability that Insigne will be a central part of Toronto FC’s turnaround next season. When asked if they expected to receive offers for their highest-paid player this winter, both Hernandez and Manning said to run a proper business they would have to pick up the phone if it rings.
It sure seems like Insigne wanted to find representation that will make that phone ring.
Oh yes 100% Those two player agents are standing intentionally in front of the two TFC framed shirts, I mean when a photo of three people is taken, shouldn’t usually one of them be standing on one of the others head? I am proud of the great cutting edge investigative journalism from the WTR staff! keep up the great work guys.
The sooner he leaves the better. I can’t stand watching his selfish play and how he always looses the ball, throws his hands in the air and walks back.
Let some other suckers pay 3.5 million a goal.
The worst team in history! Oh so sad if he leaves.
Anyone that knows anything about dealing with High profile athletes that want to leave a team because it’s going
because it’s going to a bad stretch is gutless.
I’m in a position to say this because I was played
Semi-Pro in the Premiere and National leagues here
in Canada back in the 80’s.
If they had any character at all the would give it
another year and give TFC organization the
benefit of the doubt. Rather then disrupt the process
of getting the team straightened back around.
It not always about the money. Especially when the
athlete were given a God given talent.
It’s my belief going forward we need to develop better
within the our own country. Similar to that of what
Canadian National basketball team does. They make
sure more are coming up in the ranks to move right into
the NBA.
Develop better Coaching going forward deter
from hiring these premadonna that thing just
because they’re great they put themselves ahead
of the team.
Insigne is a central part of any turnaround, by definition. Nobody is committing to him staying and playing. Herdman was quoted at the end of the season saying he’d talked to Lorenzo and he wasn’t completely “on side” with the vision yet. Eyes wide open here.
If he isn’t supported properly and doesn’t change his attitude then they don’t turnaround at all.
If he moves to another club then it’s a definitive turnaround, complete direction change.
Changing to his 3rd agent since joining TFC just adds to the image of Insigne as being a bit like a child who can’t make up his mind. Just the way he plays, passionate & engaged, then walking with his head down.
I speak to a current agent who has been involved with our national team set up in the past on an almost daily (at least weekly basis) his take on this is as follows:
1) does insigne want out, perhaps now if that is the case he maybe changing agents because he may feel the previous agent(s) didn’t know the ends and outs of the MLS because if insigne does indeed want to leave the question becomes how via trade, transfer or perhaps buy out…
2) insigne may not want to leave but he wants more influence within the club in terms of players coming in and this particular agent (agency) may provide more expertise in facilitating that whether that is players potentially coming in or this agency has players in their portfolio that would be fits on tfc.
3) bill manning perhaps this agency has experience working with him mls executives that are similar.
All I am saying is this may not be as cut and dry as people think.
His performances on the pitch have not been worth the absolute circus it has been off the pitch and chaos it has caused this team. It would be an absolute miracle to be able to sell him, given his contract situation.
He is ot movable. This contract is impossible to move.
He will be at tfc in 2024 guaranteed, ot thay he should be, but he will be.
Who is gonna buy him. Insigne show absolutely no return on the TFC investment. TFC stuck, Insigne stuck and US the fans have to deal with this overpriced underperforming player who doesn’t even wanna be here. Can not wait till he is gone and TFC can truly rebuild.
Two weeks ago the rumour was he was going to Naples but they have the Serie A MVP at left wing, now its Lazio! what about Lazio’s Italian International left wing Mattia Zaccagni? Again Lorenzo is not going to any team that pays him just a few million to sit on the bench. Let’s come up with some rumours that make sense guys!!!