Toronto FC announced on Wednesday that they have decided to decline its contract option on club legend, Dwayne De Rosario. Canada’s all-time leading goal scorer is likely headed for an exit from BMO Field for the second time in his career, but his future is far from clear at the moment.
De Rosario could be traded when a four-hour trade window opens Monday ahead of Wednesday’s expansion and waiver draft. The trade window will then re-open ahead of the two stages of the re-entry draft Dec. 12 and 18.
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De Rosario could be traded, taken by any Major League Soccer side in Stage 1 of the re-entry draft by picking up the option on his current contract. TFC could also try to bring him back by offering him another deal. If not, other clubs have another chance at him in Stage 2 of the re-entry process by negotiating a new deal with the 36 year old.
Toronto FC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko expressed to the Canadian Press on Wednesday that although they understand how much De Rosario means to the team’s supporters, they are looking ahead to the future.
“At this point in the process, what we’re saying is we’re not exercising his option but I think it’s safe to say that we’re looking towards the future and right now he’s probably not in the plans. That doesn’t mean we’re not going to talk to him and figure out what could be best for the club and himself.
“Maybe there’s another sort of relationship that we can have with him.”
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Dwayne De Rosario has been playing in MLS since 2001, when he was a member of the San Jose Earthquakes. Not only did De Rosario help the Earthquakes win the MLS Cup in his rookie season, he also scored the golden goal in the MLS Cup and was named the game’s MVP. De Rosario went on to win two more MLS Cups with the Houston Dynamo, before joining Toronto FC for his first stint with the club in 2009.
De Rosario’s departure from his hometown club in 2011 was far from the fairy tale ending that all Canadian soccer fans were hoping for. It was a bitter divorce between the club and player that was only resolved when he was brought back last year.
It’ll be interesting to see what is written in the cards for De Rosario, but his agent said today that the player intends to keep playing “100 per cent”. The attacking midfielder has always been a popular figure at BMO Field whether playing for club or country, and the news on Wednesday will likely not sit very well with most fans, even if he did only start in four matches this season.