After four seasons with Toronto FC, striker Jozy Altidore could very well be nearing the end of his time with the Canadian club. Heading into the final year of his current contract with the club, Altidore may be spending his final days at BMO Field where he’s helped the club to success in several competitions.
The 29-year-old has rolled off 45 goals in 88 matches with TFC while winning one MLS Cup, a Supporters Shield, and three Canadian Championships. However, 2018 was an injury-plagued season for Altidore who only made 13 appearances for Greg Vanney’s side, after totaling 26 or more in his first three seasons in Canada.
“It’s been a terrific time, but at the end of the day, it’s a business,” Altidore said on ESPN’s Max and Herc podcast. “When I say it’s bittersweet it’s because I’ve spent four years there. I kind of have roots put down there, my family enjoys it. It’s bittersweet in the sense that you have to leave that and go on to something new, but that’s the business.”
“I’m excited for what’s to come, and I’ve given everything to Toronto FC. I think it was mission complete in terms of going there and winning, which we set out to do. So I look forward to the next challenge. I’m not going to.. there’s no hard feelings.”
Just like his time with Toronto FC, Altidore’s future with the U.S. Men’s National Team under new head coach Gregg Berhalter is also to be determined. With the USMNT needing veteran presences at the forward position, Altidore could very well see a role with the team but it will be tough for Altidore to work his way into the team with a new generation of players coming through the ranks.
“It depends on Gregg Berhlater. That’s not my place to say,” Altidore said. “Obviously, I love player for the National Team. If they need me, I would love to be there, but at the same time I’m a fan of the National Team.”
“I think it became more of [a] luxury for some players,” Altidore said. “I think we need to get back to that it’s the crest, it’s the shirt that’s representing the country. I think everything that comes to camp needs to understand that. Every time they step on the field, it’s not about you. It’s not about any individual. It’s about the team and moving this whole thing along as a soccer nation.”
Altidore is expected to be in TFC’s preseason plans ahead of their involvement in the Concacaf Champions League Round of 16 against Independiente on February 19. The next opportunity for him to be called in for USMNT duty will be in March, three weeks after Toronto kicks off MLS play.
Jeff Carlisle at ESPN reported clubs in Ligue 1 and Serie A inquired about him in August. I’m not sure how good of a move he could make this window having not played since surgery last fall though.
Toronto FC finally realized that while he’s a good striker for MLS he is not worth 5+ million. Hope he finds a good team soon.
You realize they did win 1 and came close to winning back to back….
Yes they did, thanks to Sebastian Giovinco….that’s why he is not in the conversation of leaving TFC lol. Altidore is a good striker for MLS but he is not worth $5 MILLION and TFC realized that they can get a striker with his productivity rate for a lot less….like a lot less.
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2018
Altidore 7 goals 1 assist
Giovinco 13 goals 15 assists
Old almost retired Wondolowski 10 goals 5 assist (For comparism)
Kamara 14 goals 6 assists
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2017
Altidore 15 goals 6 assists
Giovinco 16 goals 6 assists
Old almost retired Wondolowski 13 goals 8 assists
Kamara 12 goals 5 assists
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2016
Altidore 10 goals 5 assists
Giovinco 17 goals 15 assists
Old almost retired Wondolowski 12 goals 3 assists
Kamara 12 goals 2 assists
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2015
Altidore 13 goals 0 assists
Giovinco 22 goals 16 assists
Old almost retired Wondolowski 16 goals 2 assists
Kamara 22 goals 8 assists
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Altidore is being paid $5+ million
Chris Wondolowski is being paid $800,000
Kamara is being paid $1 million
Wright Phiilips is being paid $1.5 million (I will not even compare him lol)
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TFC has spend too much money for players based on their average player salary in Major League Soccer by team
TFC: 902.41 MILLION
GALAXY: $648.15 MILLION
NYCFC – $544.23 MILLION
CHICAGO – $492.86 MILLION
LAFC – $497.64 MILLION
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Again, with Altidore’s numbers, durability and productivity rate he is not worth $5+ MILLION
I almost responded with your exact argument because I knew what you would say. There is no question that Giovinco was a better player than Altidore in the first year and half together. The from late 2016 forward they were pretty equal with both playing well off of each other. Even this year Jozy scored 10 goals in 21 matches about 1 every 2, Giovinco was 17 in 37 about 1 every 2.
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You also forgot one key stat between Kamara, Wondo, and even BWP during those years? 2 Conference Championships and 1 MLS Cup, that’s why Toronto overpaid for Jozy and Bradley. Also your average per player salary teams, none of them won a conference championship. You can make an argument they held onto Bradley, Vazquez, Altidore, and Giovinco a year too long, but remember they were one match from Champions of Concacaf. Even with the slow start they thought they could still recover and make a playoff run, but they never could beat the injury bug and Vazquez never returned to his form from 2017.
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As for Giovinco, his situation seems exactly the same as Altidore’s. Toronto seems ready to move salary which should be good for Ayo Akinola but not for TFC fans.
https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/01/20/sebastian-giovinco-eager-word-toronto-fc-his-future-club
“You also forgot one key stat between Kamara, Wondo, and even BWP during those years? 2 Conference Championships and 1 MLS Cup”….hahahaha, Johnnyrazor are you paying attention? It was ALL GIOVINCO. Give Jozy Altidore a team were he person everyone relies on (Like lets say the USMNT) and he cannot step up to the plate.
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Jozy Altidore has NEVER been EQUAL to Sebastian Giovinco in any way, shape or form hahahahahaha……and will never be. At his worst he is better than Altidore at his best in MLS, both at scoring and assisting others. He is a multi dimensional player unlike Altidore, and makes all the people around him better.
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I don’t know why this is even an argument hahahaha but as usual I will indulge you. Altidore is not a $5+ million dollar striker and there are people in MLS being paid a lot less and that are better at their craft (scoring goals) than Jozy for a fraction of HIS cost. Players like BWP (33), Kei Kamara (34), Ola Kamara, Wondolowski (35, Close to retirement lol), Piatti (33), are putting up better numbers than Altidore……both in goals and assists for a lot less. That’s why TFC is having this conversation
Also, Johnnyrazor
“The from late 2016 forward they were pretty equal with both playing well off of each other”…..hahahaha they have NEVER BEEN EQUAL (and I see what you tried to do there to eliminate Gio’s massive 22 goal season lol ?). If Giovinco is not scoring goals he is assisting other people to score goals ⚽⚽⚽.
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2015 – 2018
GIO: 68 goals and 52 assists
Jozy: 45 goals and 12 assists
Close to retirement Wondolowski ??: 51 Goals and 18 assists
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So regardless of what you might think, Altidore has never been equal to Wondolowski in MLS lol, let alone Giovinco, hence the fact that he is a good player but definitely not a $5 million dollar MLS player ?
Ask any MLS GM do you want Wondo, Kamara, or Altidore and everyone would take Altidore. Maybe not at the price Jozy wants, but TFC wanted a championship that’s why they overpaid for Bradley and Altidore. They got what they wanted. NYRBs want a championship but BWP hasn’t delivered. In the playoffs which is what counts in MLS since 2015 (Jozy’s return)
Altidore 7 goals 4 assists (11 matches)
BWP 4 goals 1 assist (13 matches)
Kamara 4 goals (5 matches his teams only made the playoffs once)
Wondowlowski 0 goals 0 assists (1 playoff match)
Giovinco 5 goals 5 assists (11 matches)
Morris 2 goals 1 assist (8 matches)
Martinez 4 goals 1 assist (6 matches)
Gio Dos Santos 1 goal 2 assists (4 matches)
Almiron 1 goal 2 assists (6 matches)
Lodeiro 5 goals 2 assists (13 matches)
Dempsey 5 goals 0 assists (7 matches)
Piatti 5 goals 3 assists (8 matches)
Valeri 5 goals 7 assists (13 matches)
Higuain 3 goals 5 assists (13 matches)
Villa 3 goals 0 assists (7 matches)
Kaka 0 goals 0 assists (0 matches)
Lampard 0 goals 0 assists (2 matches)
Since returning to MLS, first in playoff goals and 4th in playoff assists nothing to sneeze at.
“Ask any MLS GM do you want Wondo, Kamara, or Altidore and everyone would take Altidore.”…….yet TFC are letting him go hahahahaha. lets see which one of the MLS GM’s you are talking about will pick him up
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I don’t know where your seasonal numbers are coming from or maybe you didn’t get the memo
2015 – 2018
GIO: 68 goals and 52 assists
Jozy: 45 goals and 12 assists
Close to retirement Wondolowski ??: 51 Goals and 18 assists
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BWP didn’t give NYRB a championship, NEITHER DID ALTIODRE. That’s like saying Lucas Janson was playing for TFC and they got a trophy but BWP couldn’t deliver….GIO carried TFC on his back, that’s why he is still there and they are letting Jozy go lol. If he was that important to the team or played a MAJOR part in the success of TFC we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Again, Jozy Altidore is not worth $5 million and no other GM in MLS is stupid enough to give an average producing striker that amount of money, case and point ??
BWP: Base salary $1.5 / Total Compensation $1.7 million
2018 20 GOALS and 8 ASSISTS
2017 17 GOALS AND 1 ASSIST
2016 24 GOALS AND 5 ASSISTS
2015 17 GOALS 7 ASSISTS
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PIATTI – Base salary $500,000 / Total Compensation $4.7 million
2018 16 GOALS and 13 ASSISTS
2017 17 GOALS AND 6 ASSISTS
2016 17 GOALS AND 6 ASSISTS
2015 9 GOALS 8 ASSISTS
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KEI KAMARA – Base salary $1 million / Total Compensation $1 million
2018 14 GOALS 6 ASSISTS
2017 12 GOALS 5 ASSISTS
2016 12 GOALS 2 ASSISTS
2015 22 GOALS 8 ASSISTS
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NOW FOR YOUR BOY ?
JOZY ALTIORE – Base salary $5 million / Total Compensation $5 million
2018 7 GOALS 1 ASSIST
2017 15 GOALS 6 ASSISTS
2016 10 GOALS 5 ASSISTS
2015 13 GOALS 0 ASSISTS
HAHA ?, Johnnyrazor I didn’t know HOLD UP PLAY (without goals or assists or waiting for your team to make the playoffs before scoring) was worth $5 million ?
To where?
Its hard to judge without the entire context of the interview, but it almost sounds like a move before the season is a possibility.
Or his agent and ownership are at odds for how much a season Altidore is worth? He is 29 and gets paid a lot on a team with an already high payroll. I would gather Toronto is offering a reduced salary to get him off being a DP contract and open up their roster for additions without subtracting Altidore .
Altidore is still an excellent target guy. He can hold the ball really well and where the ball needs to go in the final third.
If I’m Altidore my response is “not my fault you overpaid for your DM”. His statement makes sense about a new contract if it’s August but in January sounds like a move is at least being discussed.