TFC hits snag in negotiation for midfielder
Toronto FC will take on Club Atletico Independiente de la Chorrera Tuesday in round-of-16 CONCACAF Champions League action.
The return leg of the series will be played Feb. 26 in Toronto.
The players held a training session Monday at Independiente’s home stadium to prepare for the match and get used to the artificial turf. According to a team official in Panama, the turf is in good shape and the weather is dry and not too hot, which should play into TFC’S hands.
Meanwhile, TFC and Belgian club K.R.C. Genk are still talking, but nobody seems to be budging right now on a deal for Alejandro Pozuelo.
TFC general manager Ali Curtis and Genk technical director Dimitri de Conde met in New York City on Saturday to try to hash out a deal for Genk’s Spanish midfielder.
According to reports, TFC is willing to pay the €8-million transfer fee to get the attacking midfielder, but the Reds want it done sooner rather than later.
According to sources in Europe, Toronto FC would like the Genk captain in Canada by March 18, but Genk wants him to stay until the last day of the transfer window on May 7. Genk is currently in first place in the Belgian first division and the team wants him around as long as possible.
For his part, Pozuelo has let it be known he wants out of Genk and the club’s fans are clearly getting frustrated with his wish to bail. In a match against Brugge over the weekend, Genk supporters unveiled a banner that said: “There is no room for false captains in Genk. Glory for those who struggle to the end.”
The situation is coming to a head.
Curtis wouldn’t comment on the negotiations, though Pozuelo’s future will reportedly be decided one way or the other by Thursday.