Federico Bernardeschi, the Italian winger currently playing for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer, has sparked speculation about a possible return to Serie A. The 30-year-old, who left Juventus for the Canadian club in 2022, has been enjoying a successful stint in North America, boasting impressive statistics of 22 goals and 13 assists in 84 appearances.
During a recent interview prior to the Juventus-Fiorentina match, Bernardeschi addressed questions about his future. While expressing his contentment with life in Canada, he left the door open for a potential return to Italian football. “Canada is wonderful, you live very well there and have a very high quality of life,” Bernardeschi stated. “I’ve achieved more personal goals than team goals, which is a bit disappointing because you always want to achieve those with the rest of the group.”
When pressed about transfer rumors, Bernardeschi remained coy, saying, “I expected the question. For now, we’ll go back there and then we’ll see what happens. I want to achieve important goals with Toronto and continue to do well as I have done recently. As for returning to Italy, we’ll see…”
The “we’ll see” response has fueled speculation about Bernardeschi’s future. It’s worth noting that there were contacts with both Lazio and Roma in the past, although negotiations didn’t materialize. Since summer, Bernardeschi has changed agents, now represented by Roberto Calenda, who also manages Napoli striker Victor Osimhen.
Bernardeschi’s presence in Rome before Christmas, as reported by Corriere dello Sport, has added to the intrigue surrounding his potential move. With changes in management and coaching staff at Roma since last summer, the landscape for a possible transfer has shifted.
The Italian international’s contract with Toronto FC runs until December 2026, and despite rumours of an extension, no official announcement has been made. His current salary of five million euros per season could be a stumbling block for Italian clubs, but reports suggest Bernardeschi is willing to lower his demands to facilitate a return to Serie A.
