Roster outlook foggy

The future is murky for a few Toronto FC regulars.

Canadian defender Ashtone Morgan, TFC’s longest-tenured player who made his professional debut in 2010, was among five whose 2020 options were not picked up by the club before Thursday’s deadline.

Veteran centre back Drew Moor, a leader when the club reached the MLS Cup final in 2016 and 2017, is out of contract at year’s end with no indication that he will return. The loan that brought in Nicolas Benezet, who arrived mid-season and started in this month’s MLS Cup final, will also expire at the end of the calendar year.

Captain Michael Bradley is also out of contract after Dec. 31, but in a statement the club said discussions continue with the designated player’s camp toward a potential deal, which both sides have said they want. Morgan and Benezet could also be back, according to general manager Ali Curtis. TFC’s roster stands at 23.

Morgan, a Torontonian, is by far the most experienced of the players whose options were not exercised after nine years. He earned $133,500 (U.S.) in guaranteed compensation this year, though a reduced role saw him make just nine regular-season appearances (three starts) — down from 18 appearances and 11 starts the previous year.

The Reds also did not exercise options on goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell, midfielders Aiden Daniels and Ryan Telfer (who spent last season on loan with the Ottawa Fury and York9, respectively) and forward Jon Bakero. They made a combined 24 regular-season appearances.

Curtis is expected to bring in at least one attacking player, to lead the line with returning strikers Jozy Altidore and Alejandro Pozuelo, after finalizing terms with Bradley.