Toronto FC Rebuild Plans 2025 After Disappointing Season
The crisp autumn air at BMO Field carries with it a sense of contemplation these days. Toronto FC’s 2024 campaign has come to its unceremonious conclusion—another season without playoff soccer, yet team management is convinced they’re heading in the right direction. As the maple leaves turn their vibrant shades of red, the club’s brain trust is already mapping out a comprehensive strategy to restore the once-dominant franchise to its former glory.
“We’re disappointed not to make the playoffs, that was the objective,” admitted TFC president Bill Manning during Tuesday’s end-of-season media availability. “But I think we can all agree that there’s been progress made.”
Progress is a relative term for a club that lifted the MLS Cup in 2017 and reached the final again in 2019. The team finished 11th in the Eastern Conference with a modest 10-16-8 record—an improvement over last year’s dismal 4-20-10 showing, but far from the championship-caliber performances Toronto supporters have grown to expect.
General manager Jason Hernandez, who joined the club last December, speaks with the measured confidence of someone who understands the magnitude of the reconstruction project he inherited. “We’re better today than we were a year ago. And I think that’s the trajectory we want to stay on,” he noted, while acknowledging the obvious: “We need to bring in more talent.”
That talent acquisition will be crucial as Toronto looks to bolster a roster that showed occasional flashes of brilliance but lacked the consistency required to compete with MLS elites. The club’s designated player situation sits at an interesting crossroads, with Italian star Federico Bernardeschi expected to return while Lorenzo Insigne’s future remains shrouded in uncertainty after an injury-plagued season.
Head coach John Herdman, who took the reins in August 2023 after his successful tenure with Canada’s national teams, sees potential despite the disappointments. “We’ve been able to stabilize a team that was very unstable,” Herdman observed, pointing to improved defensive metrics and a more cohesive tactical approach. “But we’re still not where we need to be.”
The numbers tell part of the story: Toronto conceded 59 goals this season, down from a league-worst 72 in 2023. But the attack often sputtered, particularly after Insigne’s extended absences. The club scored just 44 goals in 34 matches—a rate that won’t threaten the upper echelon of MLS.
What makes Toronto’s rebuild particularly intriguing is their commitment to balancing immediate competitiveness with long-term sustainability. The academy pipeline has begun producing quality talent, with homegrown players logging significant minutes throughout the campaign. Nineteen-year-old midfielder Deandre Kerr showed promising development, while 21-year-old Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty established himself as a versatile contributor.
“Building from within while supplementing with strategic external additions—that’s the blueprint,” explained Hernandez. “We’re not going to be reckless in the transfer market, but we’re prepared to be aggressive for the right players.”
The front office is already eyeing several potential acquisitions, with particular emphasis on strengthening the midfield and adding a clinical striker. Sources close to the club suggest they’re monitoring talent in South America and Europe, with a specific focus on players entering their prime years who could provide immediate impact while growing with the project.
For Toronto supporters, patience wears thin after multiple seasons without playoff contention. This city’s soccer culture has matured dramatically since the club’s inception in 2007. The raucous crowds that once packed BMO Field for championship runs expect—and deserve—a return to relevance.
“We understand the frustration,” Manning acknowledged. “This is a process, but we’re committed to accelerating it. The fans deserve better, and we’re determined to deliver.”
As winter approaches and the 2025 preseason looms on the horizon, Toronto FC finds itself at a pivotal juncture. The foundation appears sturdier than in recent years, but the finishing touches will determine whether this rebuild truly takes flight or becomes another false dawn in a league that doesn’t reward half-measures.
The quest to reclaim Toronto’s place among MLS royalty continues. The plans are in place—now comes the hardest part: execution.
