Lorenzo Insigne Wants to Escape the Canadian Cold | OneFootball

Lorenzo Insigne seems pretty set on calling it quits with his Canadian adventure. Word is, Fiorentina and Como are sniffing around, and the Italian sports media is having a field day with it. Insigne, one of the flashiest and most charismatic players of the past decade, looks like he’s searching for a permanent way out of Toronto FC.

Sure, the MLS project is cool, ambitious, and even revolutionary in some ways. But putting a guy like Insigne, who’s felt the electrifying pressure of European nights and heard crowds roar like an opera at San Paolo (now the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium), into a league that’s still finding its feet feels, well, a little off.

When Insigne landed at Toronto FC in 2022, it was a moment. The Italian star was supposed to take Canadian soccer to the next level. Big contract, global superstar status, and all the bells and whistles a player could dream of. On paper? A dream. In reality? Not quite.

Yeah, Insigne had flashes of that brilliance that made him a household name, but the whole setup wasn’t exactly ideal. Toronto FC, despite all the hype, never really became an MLS powerhouse. Injuries, a lack of chemistry in the squad, and, let’s face it, a technical level that’s still miles from what Insigne experienced in Serie A, all made the experience lose its shine.

And then there’s the weather. Let’s not sugarcoat it, he’s a Neapolitan guy. He’s all about that Mediterranean heat, sunshine, and the sea breeze. Now imagine that same guy facing Toronto’s bone-chilling winters. You don’t need to be a genius to figure out that his emotional thermostat started dropping as fast as the snow piled up.

Enter two Italian clubs, ready to rescue Insigne from his "soccer exile." Fiorentina and Como have their sights set on the star, and they’ve got wildly different pitches.

Fiorentina, a club with history and big ambitions in Serie A, feels like the obvious pick if Insigne’s itching to get back into the spotlight of European soccer. They’re a team that’s always dancing on the edge of continental competitions, and Insigne could easily step in as the maestro they’re crying out for.

Como, though, is the wildcard, a romantic gamble. They’re a rising team in Serie B with ambitious investors and big dreams of climbing back to Serie A. It’s like that one friend who convinces you to jump on a wild idea, and sometimes, it actually works. Making Insigne the face of their project would be a masterstroke, marketing gold and a game-changer on the pitch.

But here’s the thing, it’s not just about money or tactics. It’s about home. Insigne seems to be homesick. He misses Italy, the culture, the language, his family. He misses playing in stadiums steeped in history, where every match feels like a gladiator battle. The MLS is great if you’re looking for financial stability or want to step away from the spotlight. But at 32, Insigne knows he’s still got gas in the tank to shine at the top level.

For Toronto FC, losing Insigne would be a gut punch, but maybe an inevitable one. If he goes, they’ll need to take a long, hard look at their strategy. The MLS can’t just rely on marquee names to grab attention. They’ve got to build a solid foundation, develop local talent, and figure out how to stand tall on the global stage. Bringing in Insigne might’ve been a step too big, too soon, for Toronto.

This saga is far from over, though. Until Insigne’s bags are packed, anything can happen. Maybe Toronto FC will pull out all the stops with promises of reinforcements and big changes. Maybe Fiorentina or Como will put an irresistible deal on the table. Or who knows, maybe a surprise contender will swoop in and flip the script on this whole story.