Toronto FC announced Friday that it has signed midfielder Liam Fraser to a homegrown player contract.
Fraser, a 19-year-old native of Toronto, is a former TFC youth academy product, who has spent the better part of the last two years playing for the team’s TFC 2 farm club in the second-tier United Soccer League.
“Over that past two seasons with TFC II and during his time with our academy, Liam has shown a tremendous amount of hard work and dedication, especially in his desire to learn the defensive midfield role at the next level,” TFC GM Tim Bezbatchenko said in a news release.
In total, Fraser made 52 appearances in three seasons for TFC II in the USL, scoring two goals. He originally signed with TFC II in February 2016.
As a homegrown player signed from the team’s youth academy, Fraser will not count against the TFC’s salary budget. Fraser is the 16th player in club history to sign for the first team from its youth academy.
Internationally, Fraser has represented Canada at the CONCACAF Men’s U-20 Championship.
Earlier on Friday, Toronto FC selected defender-midfielder Tim Kubel from the University of Louisville and goalkeeper Drew Shepherd from Western Michigan University at the MLS college draft in Philadelphia.
The signing of Fraser comes on the heels on a few off-season losses for Toronto, including midfielder Benoit Cheyrou (retired), winger Raheem Edwards (now with the Montreal Impact) and fullback Steven Beitashour (free agent, signed with LAFC).
The Reds signed forward Ayo Akinola to a homegrown player deal last month. Armando Cooper, Tsubasa Endoh and Oyvind Alseth all had their contract options declined by TFC after last season. TFC could potentially re-sign them to new deals, or they could sign elsewhere.
[relatedlinks]
