Back in Major League Soccer after playing in Mexico, Italy and Germany, newly signed defender Carlos Salcedo says Toronto FC is the right fit.
The 28-year-old Salcedo, who has won 48 caps for Mexico, says he was drawn by Toronto's ambition and history of success.
"I know Toronto well because I've known (in) the past years they did great stuff," Salcedo, speaking in English, said Tuesday. "For me that's the main reason — to be in a team that wants to fight for every competition. So I'm here to help the team and do great things during this period."
He also hopes time in Toronto will help him get back in the Mexican national team after a six-month absence. And he said living in Toronto was attractive to him, his wife and their son.
"All I heard was great things," he said. "So I'm happy to be here and glad to play with this shirt."
Salcedo, signed through 2024 with Toronto, came over in a transfer from Mexico's Tigres UANL. Venezuelan winger Yeferson Soteldo, whose designated player spot Salcedo is now occupying, went the other way in a separate transaction.
Salcedo appeared cool and confident in his first availability with Toronto, showing a sense of humour and ability to deflect difficult questions.
Known as El Titan for his strength in the air and on the ground, Salcedo arrives with a legion of fans. He had 959,000 followers on Instagram and 357,000 on Twitter.
Salcedo, who will wear his trademark No. 3 with Toronto, had his first full training session with his new club Tuesday. Bob Bradley, Toronto's head coach and sporting director, likes what he saw on and off the field.
"You see right away his presence on the field," said Bradley.
"I think so far he's just done a great job of coming into a group, getting to know guys, being down to earth, being real," he added. "Young guys, veterans, different players, he's just made a point of reaching out to everyone in a really good way."
Salcedo, who arrived in camp Saturday, is impressed by his new surroundings — including the way the team has treated him and his family.
"It's a great club. I was so impressed to be honest … I've been only (training) here one day and I already trust my teammates and everyone who works on the team," he said.
Bradley has had first-hand experience with Salcedo. His Los Angeles FC team lost to Salcedo and Tigres in the 2020 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League final.
"Carlos played a really important role in that Tigres team," he said.
"He's been an important player for Mexico … Wherever he's been, clearly you can tell he's a winner," he added. "He's a competitor, he's got personality."
Salcedo did his due diligence on Bradley, saying he spoke to fellow Mexican international Carlos Vela, who played for Bradley at LAFC.
"What can I say is only great things. That's what (Vela) told me," he said.
Salcedo also has ties with Toronto president Bill Manning, who was in charge of Real Salt Lake when Salcedo began his pro career there.
A native of Guadalajara, Salcedo is a graduate of the Real Salt Lake-Arizona Academy. His father, Carlos, played with academy director Martin Vasquez at Guadalajara-based Club Atlas while his grandfather, Manuel, played for Chivas Guadalajara in the 1950s.
Salcedo signed with Real Salt Lake as a homegrown player in January 2013, scoring nine goals in 43 appearances over two seasons with the club.
He returned to Mexico in 2015, playing for Chivas Guadalajara before moving to Italy's Fiorentina and Germany's Eintracht Frankfurt on loan. After his move to Eintracht was made permanent in July 2018, he joined Tigres in January 2019.
Toronto is looking to Salcedo to anchor the defence in the wake of a dismal 6-18-10 season that saw the club concede a franchise-worst 66 goals. Bradley pointed to Sergio Ramos, now with Paris Saint-Germain, saying the iconic Spanish defender "makes plays that make a difference."
"I see some similar qualities in Carlos," he said. "So we want to bring out the best of him and he's very motivated to play an important part in the success at TFC. He has big goals."
He is the seventh new signing this season and the biggest since Italian star Lorenzo Insigne, who will join the team in July as a designated player after his contract with Napoli expires.
Salcedo played down his designated player status, saying "that's only a name for me."
"If I was earning $1 or $10, I'll still put the same effort on the field," he said through an interpreter. "I'll just keep working because this is the way I am. A player that likes to win and play hard every day."
Given Toronto reportedly beat out other big clubs for his signature, there are likely a lot more zeros involved.
Asked about the departure of Soteldo, Bradley talked in generalities, saying sometimes young players have the talent but not "all the other parts that are necessary to be an important payer on a team."
Soteldo, 24, showed flashes of brilliance but at times did not seem happy with TFC.
Currently in camp in California, Toronto is slated to play LAFC in a friendly Wednesday before returning to Toronto. The team will then leave next Monday for Austin, Texas, where it will continue preparations before opening the regular season Feb. 26 at FC Dallas.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2022
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
