Giovinco ‘happy,’ will wait on Reds’ call
Sebastian Giovinco did not sway from his personal party line — that he is happy at Toronto FC — as he addressed rumours of interest from the Chinese Super League for the first time Thursday.
The striker, who turned 30 Thursday, has been the subject of much talk since returning to the city for the team’s training camp this week, thanks largely to his agent Andrea D’Amico’s claims that Giovinco has received an “important offer” from a club in China and caught the eye of at least one more CSL organization.
Giovinco told Sky Sports Italia that he is aware he has drawn attention from the Chinese league, and possibly offers worth more than the approximately $7 million (U.S.) a season he is earning now.
“They told me there is interest, so we’ll talk it over with Toronto and see. I am happy here, but we’ll see what the club wants to do,” Giovinco said, according to the Football Italia website. “My agent told me there is an offer, but did not tell me which club.” Giovinco also denied he was looking at a move back to his native Italy, saying he is happy in Canada and has no intention of returning to his birthplace.
Toronto FC maintained Thursday that nobody has contacted the club over D’Amico’s claims.
Giovinco is entering the third year of a five-year deal in Major League Soccer; there is also a club option for an additional year in 2020.
General manager Tim Bezbatchenko told the Canadian Press Wednesday that expressions of interest from agents or intermediaries happen regularly.
Toronto FC would consider a formal offer if one landed on its table, but Bezbatchenko said it would be very difficult to move the best player in the league.
This is not the first time clubs have tried to lure Giovinco away from Toronto.
D’Amico said La Liga’s Barcelona was interested in the player last January, but the Italian striker turned down a move given the world-class attacking talent already in place at the Spanish side.
“It’s true, in the past there was interest from Barcelona, but I’d have been a ball boy (behind Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Saurez),” Giovinco said. “With those three stars in attack, I wouldn’t play at all.”