Jozy Altidore bids farewell to Toronto FC

After seven seasons, star striker Jozy Altidore has bid farewell to Toronto via a social media post.

While Toronto FC has not said much about Altidore's absence from training camp, his departure was expected. Coach Bob Bradley, who doubles as the MLS team's sporting director, said earlier this week an announcement on the 32-year-old forward's future was coming "shortly."

In typical Altidore fashion, he made the announcement himself.

A source, not authorized to speak publicly on the matter because talks have been ongoing behind the scenes, said TFC and Altidore's representatives have been in prolonged discussions about a contract buyout. The New England Revolution reportedly is waiting in the wings to sign Altidore, one of TFC's three designated players.

Friday's social media post to Altidore's 197,000 followers, accompanied by a photo of the player waving to the crowd, suggests those talks have finally concluded.

"Thank you Toronto and all the fans for a wonderful seven years," he wrote. "To all the staff and my teammates throughout this time, THANK YOU!! Toronto will always be home. Thank you MLSE and Larry and Judy Tanenbaum for all of your support over the years. See you soon and all the very best in the future."

Larry Tanenbaum is chairman of the board of directors of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, which owns the team. Judy is his wife.

TFC is currently in Texas, gearing up for its Feb. 26 season opener at FC Dallas.

Altidore, who married tennis star Sloane Stephens on Jan. 1 in Miami, ranks second in goal-scoring for Toronto with 79 goals in all competitions. Only former strike partner Sebastian Giovinco, with 83, has scored more in TFC colours.

But Altidore managed just six goals over the last two seasons, in limited action due to injuries and a disagreement with the club. Those goals came at a price with Altidore's salary of US$3.6 million seventh on the MLS pay scale last season.

MLS teams are allowed one contract buyout in the off-season which does not count against the salary cap. Altidore's current deal has two years remaining.

At his best, Altidore was a powerful forward able to score goals and create space and opportunities for others by his imposing presence at the tip of the Toronto attack.

Altidore, when healthy, and TFC enjoyed a profitable relationship. The big man, who earned some US$33 million in salary over his seven seasons in Toronto, scored some big goals for the club.

Off the field, he won the hearts of TFC supporters in an epic speech after the team's 2017 MLS Cup parade.

'This is my home'

"I just want to let you guys know that I've been partying since Saturday. And baby, I'm TFC `til I die," the burly forward, clearly feeling no pain two days later, said after a short but passionate homage to fans at the Nathan Phillips Square celebration.

Altidore dropped the microphone and then started dancing with his teammates.

In February 2019, a more restrained Altidore repeated his affection for the city and club when he signed a contract extension.

"This is my home, this is where I want to be and this is where I want to keep building," Altidore said at the time.

But things soured last season when he spent some eight weeks on the outs with the club after a confrontation with then-coach Chris Armas when the striker was substituted in the 70th minute of a 1-0 loss to Orlando City on May 22.

Altidore spent the time training on his own, away from the first team. But he returned in July after Armas was fired following a 1-8-2 start to the season.

He scored in his first game back, a 1-1 tie with Orlando that marked TFC's first game at BMO Field since Sept. 1, 2020, and the first with fans in the stands since March 7, 2020. Altidore, pounding the crest on his jersey, and his teammates headed to the southeast corner of the pitch en masse to celebrate.

Altidore never revealed what went wrong behind the scenes.

"At the end of the day, nobody wants to be somewhere where they weren't wanted," he said after returning to the fold. "And I'm never going to be in a place if I'm in the way. I want to make sure quickly that doesn't happen.

"Things change in football. Things change all the time. And I'm just so happy to be back in the team. I love Toronto."

Altidore had bumped heads with Toronto management in the past, complaining about medical treatment and support. But TFC players always said he was a caring, supportive teammate.

Goals will last long in club lore

Some of his goals will last long in club lore.

Despite limping on a bum ankle, he scored the decisive goal against Columbus in Game 2 of the 2017 Eastern Conference final to send Toronto to the MLS Cup final. Then he scored in a 2-0 victory over Seattle to hoist the trophy at BMO Field.

In the 2016 Eastern Conference final, with Toronto trailing 3-2 after the first leg in Montreal, Altidore's elegant header off a Giovinco corner tied the aggregate at 4-4. It was his fifth straight playoff game with a goal, an MLS record in a single post-season.

And then in the 100th minute, after a spectacular piece of hold-up play, he fed Tosaint Ricketts for the insurance goal in a 5-2 win that gave Toronto a 7-5 comeback aggregate victory.

Altidore came within a whisker of scoring in the 2016 MLS Cup final, only to see Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei pull off a remarkable save to keep it scoreless. Seattle then won via penalty shootout.

In July 2018, in the midst of disappointing league campaign, he showed off an epic goal celebration after scoring in a 3-0 win over visiting Chicago. Altidore, whose season had been interrupted by foot surgery, celebrated by taking off his orange boot and pretending to use it as a phone.

"I was answering the call, man," he explained later. "Sometimes when your city calls, you've got to pick up the phone."