Reds going back to the future

Toronto FC has long had the working theory that league experience can lead to a championship.

As they look to bolster a leaky defence that allowed a franchise-worst 64 goals against during an unexpectedly dismal 2018 season, president Bill Manning, senior vice-president of soccer operation and general manager Tim Bezbatchenko and coach Greg Vanney began to employ that tactic on Friday by selecting veteran defender and attacking winger Nick DeLeon in MLS’s re-entry draft.

“Guys that have been there, guys that have done it,” Manning said in an interview with the Star hours before the deals were announced. “That’s what we’re looking at.”

DeLeon, has spent the entirety of his seven-year career with the Washington-based club. The 28-year-old, who started as a midfielder but has transitioned to defence in recent years, began the 2018 season as United’s right back.

DeLeon, who was selected No. 7 overall by D.C. United in the 2012 draft, has spent the entirety of his seven-year career with the Washington-based club. The 28-year-old, who started as a midfielder but has transitioned to defence in recent years, began the 2018 season as United’s right back.

By selecting DeLeon, Toronto automatically picked up his contract option, which likely comes in somewhere around $300,000 (all figures U.S.) after he earned $275,000 in 2018, according to the MLS Players’ Association.

Backup goalkeeper Clint Irwin, whose contract option was declined last month, was sent to the Colorado Rapids on Friday in exchange for a second-round pick — 39th overall — in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft.

Irwin, 29, made 49 appearances for Toronto, posting an 18-1613 record and 16 clean sheets..