TORONTO — Midfielder Mark Delgado, who ranks third in Toronto FC appearances among active players, is headed to the Los Angeles Galaxy to reunite with coach Greg Vanney.
A source, not authorized to speak publicly because the deal had not yet been announced, said Toronto is getting US$400,000 in 2022 general allocation money with another US$100,000 in 2023 if certain performance metrics are met this season.
Toronto acquired Delgado in the Chivas USA dispersal draft in November 2014, taking him with the 14th pick.
Over the last seven seasons, the California native has played in 225 games in all competitions for TFC. Only midfielder Jonathan Osorio and captain Michael Bradley have played more among active players.
Delgado appeared in 30 regular-season games (including 27 starts) for Toronto last season when he made US$581,250. He had two goals and three assists.
Vanney stepped down as Toronto head coach in December 2019, joining the Galaxy the next month. He has since brought former TFC players Victor Vazquez and Raheem Edwards into the Galaxy fold.
Vanney's ties with Delgado go back and the coach has always appreciated the midfielder's ability to move the ball quickly.
“He links things up. … He’s a giver and he’s a balancer. He never plays the game for himself. He plays the game really for everybody else,” Vanney said in October 2019. “And if you start from that standpoint, you can always be a player who can help any team.”
Vanney first came across Delgado during their days at Chivas USA. At 16, Delgado was on the Chivas under-19 team, training with the first team. When the California club folded, Delgado was the last player taken in the dispersal draft.
Delgado spent his early years in Pomona, Calif., moving to nearby Glendora at the age of four. At 13, he spent time with the U.S. under-15 team. Still an underage player, he was part of the American U-17 residency program in Bradenton, Fla., in 2010 and ‘11.
Then Chivas coach Robin Fraser, who went on to become an assistant to Vanney in Toronto before taking over the Colorado Rapids, gave Delgado his MLS debut off the bench in 2012 in Vancouver.
Delgado, who played at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand, has won six caps for the U.S. senior team.
The midfielder is the latest player to leave as TFC undergoes a rebuild under new coach and sporting director Bob Bradley.
Others to have found new homes include Richie Laryea (Nottingham Forest, England), Omar Gonzalez (New England Revolution), Liam Fraser (KMSK Deinze, Belgium) and Julian Dunn (HamKam, Norway).
Forward Dom Dwyer was traded to FC Dallas and then waived. Veteran fullback Justin Morrow has retired.
Kevin Silva, Eriq Zavaleta, Rocco Romeo and Patrick Mullins had their options declined last November.
Nick DeLeon, Tsubasa Endoh, Erickson Gallardo and Ayo Akinola were out of contract at the end of the year. The club reportedly is close to signing Akinola to a new deal.
More changes are expected with question-marks over the future of designated players Jozy Altidore and Yeferson Soteldo with Napoli star Lorenzo Insigne arriving in July.
Soteldo is currently on international duty with Venezuela.
TFC flew to California on Tuesday to start training camp in warm weather.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 19, 2022
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
