5 Canadians Toronto FC could potentially sign | OneFootball

Less than two weeks out from the transfer window opening in MLS, Toronto FC has dived headfirst into the unpredictable world of change. Federico Bernardeschi and Lorenzo Insigne are no longer members of the club, and Toronto is positioning itself to go all in on their rebuild.

Few players are more valuable in this league than the domestic ones, so let's dive into five players I could see TFC pursuing as they continue their re-tool.

Liam Millar (25, Hull City, LW)

Canada v Chile - CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024 | Leonardo Fernandez/GettyImages

Liam Millar was once touted as Canada's next big talent. A former member of Liverpool's academy, Millar has bounced between England and Switzerland, really struggling to find his footing after leaving The Reds in 2021.

It seemed like he'd finally found a good fit for himself as he made a permanent move to Hull City following a successful loan stint from FC Basel. Unfortunately, mere months after that permanent move, Millar tore his Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) and Meniscus on October 23rd. That injury is exactly why I could see a move making a lot of sense for Toronto FC, Hull City, and Liam himself.

The typical recovery timeline for an ACL tear can range from as little as six months to over a year, so it's difficult to say how close Millar is to potentially returning to full training and/or game action.

He was back out on the Hull training ground grass on February 04th, but since that update, we've heard little about any further improvements, setbacks, or changes in his recovery.

Hull City begin their season relatively soon, with their first competitive match on August 09th, so there isn't a long period between when he could get game time with TFC versus when he could get game time with Hull. However, Hull are now on their third manager since Millar got injured, so there's a real possibility that he isn't in the new manager, Sergej Jakirovic's, plans.

If, hypothetically, Jakirovic doesn't see a fit for Millar at Hull in the short term, a very natural fit for Millar would be Toronto FC, where there is a recently created hole at left wing. Could a similar move to the one Jason Hernandez made with Theo Corbeaneau make sense for Liam Millar, where he joins on loan until the end of the season with an option to purchase? He's a similar type of player to Corbeaneau, who has found success playing a more direct style under Robin Fraser.

Couple the opportunity for regular game time with being back home in Toronto and regularly in front of the eyes of Canadian Men's National Team head coach, Jesse Marsch, and you can see how this opportunity could be very appealing for Millar. Plus, a short-term loan through the end of the season could still see him return to Hull if he still wants to try his hand at finding his footing in Europe.

Uruguay v Canada - CONMEBOL Copa America USA 2024: Third Place Match | Omar Vega/GettyImages

Is it a perfect fit for Toronto and Millar? It's pretty close to it; the trick would be working something out for Hull that would make sense for them and allow them to recoup some of the 3.5 million they spent on Millar last August. Could that be a loan (maybe with a loan fee) and an option to purchase that doesn't make him a DP work (ie, exactly what TFC did with Corbeaneau)? Only time will tell, but a creative deal like that could make a lot of sense for Toronto FC to try to pursue for the rest of the season.

Simon Colyn (23, Free Agent, CAM)

De Graafschap v TOP Oss - Dutch Keuken Kampioen Divisie | BSR Agency/GettyImages

Simon Colyn is a 23-year-old attacking midfielder who has over 100 games of experience in the Dutch 2nd division. A former Vancouver Whitecaps academy player, Colyn made a permanent move to PSV's U21 team in 2022.

He secured a move to De Graafschap Doetinchem from PSV in 2023, where he was a regular starter before tearing his ACL at the end of the 2023/2024 season. He missed most of the 2024/2025 season, making two substitute appearances at the end of the season.

His return at the end of the 2024/2025 season is a very good sign that he's now recovered from surgery (those games were back in May), meaning Toronto wouldn't have to wait for him to finish recovering. During his time in the Dutch 2nd division, Colyn tallied 18 goals and 19 assists (with one of those assists coming in one of his two 2025 substitute appearances).

Colyn would be a gamble, coming off a serious injury with little experience above the Dutch 2nd Division. But, as a Canadian international, with enough promise that one of the biggest European Academies would be willing to take a chance on him, he could be an interesting buy-low gamble, with the potential for the move to become a big success story. He's dynamic, and in watching highlights, you can see the appeal. The challenge would be finding minutes for him, especially if the Manuel Lanzini and Josh Brownhill rumours are to be believed. As a younger, non-international version of Derrick Ettienne Jr., though, that could be very intriguing.

Justin Smith (22, RCD Espanyol, CM)

RCD Espanyol de Barcelona v RC Celta de Vigo - La Liga EA Sports | Pedro Salado/GettyImages

Justin Smith has primarily played for major European clubs' 2nd teams (OGC Nice and RCD Espanyol). Last season, Smith started to break into the Espanyol first team, making 5 LaLiga appearances in November and December.

Smith would be more of a project than an instant starter. The LaLiga games he played in are a promising sign, but that's the total extent of his first-team experience in a top league. His contract is set to expire next summer, so a transfer could be on the cheaper side if Toronto believes he could be a long-term piece.

Another reason this could be a fit is that Toronto doesn't have any young defensive midfielders on the roster, and Smith could be someone that Fraser can shape into his ideal DM. The opportunity for regular first-team games through the end of the season could be enticing for Smith, especially if Toronto continues to make big roster changes. A full purchase may not make the most sense for all parties, but a loan where he can get regular action around a first team could be something that appeals to both Espanyol, Smith, and TFC ahead of next year's World Cup.

Jamie Knight-Lebel (20, Bristol, CB)

Crewe Alexandra v Bromley - EFL League Two | James Gill - Danehouse/GettyImages

Jamie Knight-Lebel was part of Canada's Gold Cup roster that fell short in the quarterfinals against Guatemala. Last season, he went on loan to League Two side Crewe Alexandra from Bristol's U21s, where he made 33 appearances, scoring three goals. A right-footed CB, he'd add to the glut that Toronto has on the roster, but would fit Toronto's other recent additions in Nicksoen Gomis and Zane Monlouis by coming from English academies.

Knight-Lebel is right on the edge of making the Canadian National team ahead of next year's World Cup. Playing regularly in a first team will be crucial for him to try to solidify being one of Jesse Marsch's depth options off the bench.

Toronto is a great fit given their likely turnover this summer, and a rash of injuries at the moment. His contract is set to expire in 2027, so it would likely take a transfer fee to pry him away from Bristol City, but for a player like Knight-Lebel, that would likely be worth it.

Canada v El Salvador - Gold Cup 2025 | Tim Warner/GettyImages

I believe Luc De Fougerolles is a more natural/better fit, which I've written about recently, but Knight-Lebel would not be a bad consolation prize. He would add a domestic body to Toronto's revamped backline, which will be crucial given how many internationals that backline currently consists of.

Harry Paton (27, Free Agent, CM) and Lucas Pos (27, Free Agent, CB)

Cinch Premiership Headshots - 2023/2024 Season | MB Media/GettyImages

I couldn't decide on these two 27-year-olds. Both Paton and Pos have spent significant time playing professionally in Europe. Paton has spent most of his career in Scotland, while Pos has spent most of his career in Switzerland.

They're not eye-catching additions, but both of these players would bring significant European experience that this squad is pretty thin on with the departures of Insigne and Bernardeschi. Both players would also add depth in positions where Toronto is a little thin. That's the case especially with Pos, who, as a left-footed CB, would be the only healthy one on the roster.

Neither of these players would be earth-shattering, franchise-altering, or even season-changing additions, but they'd be useful domestic players that would help fill gaps if Toronto plans on there being more departures this summer.