Toronto FC starts season with only 2 designated players, signs defender Zane Monlouis

Toronto FC has opted to go with two designated players — for accounting purposes —- to start the season.

And the club is trying to get rid of one of them.

Major League Soccer allows for two roster models — one with three designated players and up to three Under-22 Initiative players, and the other with up to two designated players and up to four U-22 Initiative players, a model that comes with up to an additional $2 million US of general allocation money.

Teams can change their roster model midseason.

Toronto confirmed Saturday it is going with the two DP model to start the season, with Canadian fullback Richie Laryea no longer counting as a designated player for salary cap purposes.

Italians Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi remain as designated players although the club is actively seeking to part ways with Insigne, who is under contract through June 2026.

This season, teams have been given a salary budget of $5.95 million for the senior roster, which numbers between 18 and 20 players.

Designated players and U-22 Initiative players both get salary cap breaks.

Only $743,750 of a designated player's salary counts against the cap. Insigne made $15.4 million last season while Bernardeschi earned $6.295 million and Laryea $1.31 million.

It appears Toronto doesn't need the DP designation for Laryea to fit under the cap.

Clubs can also "buy down" the salary budget charge of a DP using general allocation money.

Depending on their age, only $150,000 or $200,000 of a U-22 Initiative players counts against the cap.

Toronto currently only has one U-22 Initiative player in South African winger Cassius Mailula, who is on loan to Morocco's Wydad AC.

Toronto GM Jason Hernandez has said he favoured the two DP model this season, with an eye to going back to the three DP model next season. He also talked of bringing in a forward using targeted allocation money and then converting him to a DP in 2026.

Toronto has told Insigne that he no longer fits in their plans but has been unable to find a way to move him out.

The 33-year-old attacker has turned down possible moves to Italy, Spain and Turkey and with transfer windows closing around the globe, will remain in TFC's doghouse unless the team buys out his contract or the two come to a mutual agreement to terminate the deal.

MLS clubs had to be roster compliant as of Friday evening, the day before the regular-season kickoff.

TFC signs Monlouis from Arsenal's ranks

Toronto FC has acquired Zane Monlouis from England's Arsenal, signing the 21-year-old centre back to a two-year deal with club options for 2027 and 2028.

Monlouis has made more than 100 combined appearances for Arsenal's Under-18, U-21 and U-23 teams.

The English-born Monlouis has represented England at the under-15 and under-17 levels. Also eligible to play for Jamaica, he was called into camp with the Jamaican under-23 side last March.

The signing was announced on the eve of Toronto's MLS regular-season opener at D.C. United on Saturday night. Monlouis had been in the Toronto pre-season camp in Florida on trial.

Toronto then acquired a 2025 international roster slot from the Houston Dynamo for $300,000 US in general allocation money ($200,000 in 2025 and $100,000 in 2026).

"We are excited to announce the addition of Zane to our backline for the 2025 season and beyond," Toronto GM Jason Hernandez said in a statement. "Zane joins us from Arsenal FC, one of the top club environments in Europe. At just 21 years old, he has already gained a variety of playing experience in the U.K.

"His skill set both on and off the ball will be an asset to our defence and we look forward to his continued growth and integration with our first team."

Monlouis joined the Arsenal academy in 2012 and signed his first pro contract with the Gunners in October 2020.

He had a brief loan spell with Reading in 2024, making his debut in a League One match against Fleetwood Town last February. More recently, he made Arsenal's first-team matchday roster for Champions League matches against FC Shakhtar Donetsk in October and AS Monaco in December.

Monlouis's arrival ticks another box for Hernandez, who identified a forward, midfielder and centre back as being on his off-season shopping list.

Last week, Toronto acquired Norwegian international forward Ola Brynhildsen on a season-long loan from Denmark's FC Midtjylland, with an option to make the move permanent at the end of the year.

The club previously brought in Canadian international winger Theo Corbeanu on loan from Spain's Granada CF.

Monlouis joins a TFC centre back corps that includes Kevin Long, Nicksoen Gomis and Sigurd Rosted.

Toronto conceded 61 goals last season in missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year at 11-19-4.