Toronto FC and Italian defender Domenico Criscito have come to a mutual agreement to end his contract at the MLS side after just five months.
Criscito was signed in June just days after his contract with Genoa came to an end, as he joined Italian team-mate Lorenzo Insigne in moving to Toronto. Criscito made 15 appearances for Toronto and scored one MLS goal for the Canadian side during his stay.
The 35-year-old will now return back to Italy to decide his next move, with his future still uncertain at this moment in time. Toronto on the other hand will now be tasked with finding a new left-back for next season.
Toronto brought in Italian trio Insigne, Criscito and Federico Bernardeschi this year, with the latter arriving slightly later than his compatriots. It didn't quite go to plan for Toronto though, as although they were lifted by the European arrivals briefly, they couldn't make the play-offs.
Italian players have been popular during Toronto's MLS journey after being founded in 2005, with former Juventus star Sebastian Giovinco still regarded as a club legend. Criscito played with Giovinco at both club and international level, but his experience at Toronto hasn't been the same.
There's already speculation that Criscito could return to Genoa, a club that means so much to the Italian defender. Before joining Toronto, Criscito had offers to stay in Italy, but he reportedly didn't want to face his former side.
Criscito has spent a large part of his career at Genoa since coming through the youth academy, although a seven-year stint in Russia was also enjoyed. Criscito won five trophies at Zenit St Petersburg, but even when his time was up in Russia, he couldn't help but return to Genoa once more.
The Italian left Genoa in June, but initially snubbed Toronto's approach three months earlier than that as he opted to stay with the then Serie A side. Genoa have since been relegated to Serie B, and there could be an option for their former captain to return and help out.
When initially leaving, Criscito sent an emotional message to the Genoa fans, which read: “Dear Genoa, I never imagined or would’ve wanted to be here writing this final goodbye. But in life as we all know, things don’t always go the way you hope or want.
"I will continue to follow and support you wherever I go, because there’s no getting away from it, your colours are indelible in my heart. I rejoiced, fought, suffered for you and always gave my all. I am sorry we couldn’t achieve our objective, but I hope you can soar in the months and years to come.
"This is not goodbye, but arrivederci, as I certainly won’t return as a player, but hopefully can come back and contribute to your success in other ways." Criscito may not have initially planned on returning as a player then, but due to his time in Toronto ending prematurely, it's become a plausible option against the odds.
