The latest rumor circulating in Major League Soccer is that Sunderland and USA striker Jozy Altidore could move to Toronto FC withJermain Defoe heading the other way. According to reports, the deal would satisfy both parties, as Defoe’s departure would free up a Designated Player slot, which Altidore wouldundoubtedly require. TFC currently uses all three of its slots on Gilberto, Michael Bradley and Defoe.

Asked to comment on the Altidore rumors, TFC coach Greg Vanney toldMLSSoccer.com, “Any time a big-time player is coming back into the league, we want to be in the discussion. There are a lot of mechanisms that have to go in place for a lot of those things tohappen, but if there’s a discussion of a guy who understands the league, who has been successful in the league and can help a team, we want to be at least in the discussion about that.We’re not going to hide from that.”

In an interview with the Toronto Sun, TFC midfielder Bradley expressed his excitement at the prospect of Altidore joining him in Canada.“There isn’t anybody who thinks more of Jozy as a player than me,” the USA midfielder said. “He and I have played together on the national team for a long time. Whereverhe ends up at the end of this transfer window, that club is going to be getting a complete striker. He’s somebody who has a desire and a determination to improve himself like noother.”

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