Toronto FC’s pursuit of Spanish midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo nears crunch time

Toronto FC’s pursuit of Spanish attacking midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo is nearing crunch time.

Toronto general manager Ali Curtis and president Bill Manning are back from Belgium after holding talks with Pozuelo’s club, KRC Genk. Curtis returned Saturday while Manning returned Tuesday after meeting twice with Peter Croonen, his Genk counterpart, during a whirlwind one-day trip. 

“I thought our talks made progress,” Manning said in an interview Saturday. “He’s going to have some further discussion with his board and we’re going to continue to talk with him over the weekend and then see if we can come to a place that they can live with and that we can live with.”

The 27-year-old Pozuelo apparently is keen on a move to Toronto. But the stumbling block appears to be the release clause in his contract and when, if triggered, it kicks in.

Genk, which tops the Belgium league table, does not want to give him up immediately. Toronto, in need of offence after the departure of Italian striker Sebastian Giovinco and Spanish playmaker Victor Vazquez, is not willing to wait.

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The MLS transfer window closes in May 7. “We certainly don’t want to wait that long,” said Manning.

“(Croonen) knows our position is we can’t wait forever and we know his position which we respect,” he added. “I think on Monday we’re going to all have clarity and then move on, either with an agreement or without an agreement.”

Toronto opens its MLS season March 2 in Philadelphia. On Tuesday, it looks to revive its Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League campaign after losing 4-0 in Panama to Club Atletico Independiente de la Chorrera in the opening leg of a round-of-16 tie.

The Seville-born Pozuelo has also played for Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano in Spain and Swansea City in the English Premier League. Manning said TFC has been tracking Pozuelo, who would be a designated player in MLS, for more than a year.

Toronto is also looking to use targeted allocation money to bring in one or two other players. The club had been linked to Argentine striker Jonathan (Jony) Menendez, a 24-year-old currently with Independiente of Argentina, but Manning said that is no longer in play.

“There are a couple of targets that we’ve had some discussions with where maybe it’s just one guy or can we be better as an organization by taking that (TAM) and splitting it in two … We’re leaning towards two but it may depend on whether we have Pozuelo or we don’t.”

Targeted allocation money can be used to pay down the salary cap hit of marquee players who aren’t given designated player status. Toronto has used TAM on both Vazquez and Canadian midfielder Jonathan Osorio.

Manning also confirmed that he has talked to Scott Mitchell, CEO of Canadian Soccer Business, about TFC owner Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment possibly becoming involved with the new Canadian Premier League.

A CPL team could function as another vehicle for players under contract to TFC.

“Is there a place within the CPL where MLSE could own a team? … The CPL clearly by the players that they’ve brought in, it’s going to be very much a league with young Canadian talent which we have an abundance of. It may be a fit,” said Manning.

He said the talks are very “initial, exploratory” at this point.

“But I can tell you that’s more than six months ago where there was zero communication,” he added. “I think it’s something that we’re both kind of opening up and saying ‘Hey maybe it’s better to work together than not work together.’”

The seven-franchise CPL is set to kick off April 27, with Ontario teams in north Toronto (York 9 FC) and Hamilton (Forge FC).

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press