January 23, 2020--Toronto FC signs Academy Product Jayden Nelson to first team (from Toronto FC website)
Toronto FC signs Academy Product Jayden Nelson to first team January 23, 2020 10:30AM EST Toronto FC Communications Toronto FC announced today that the club has signed forward Jayden Nelson as a Homegrown Player. Nelson becomes the 23rd player in club history to sign for the first team from the Toronto FC Academy. “Jayden is an incredible young player. Very explosive and dynamic. Not afraid to take players on in the attacking third. We love his mentality – humble but confident. He was the Canadian Youth International Player of the Year, and it is not surprising. Jayden has all the tools to be a top player. He’s only 17, so we need to be measured with his development, but we believe he can be a very important player for both club and country,” said Toronto FC General Manager Ali Curtis. “Also, throughout the signing process, I had the opportunity to get to know Jayden’s family more, and we believe he has a very supportive family that is both excited and measured about his development, while also very knowledgeable about the game.” Nelson, 17, appeared in 14 matches for Toronto FC II during the 2019 USL League One regular season. He made his professional debut with Toronto FC II on April 6, 2019, when he came off the bench against Orlando City B. Internationally, Nelson recently received his first call-up to the Canadian Men’s National Team (CMNT), making his senior debut in a friendly match against Barbados on January 7, 2020. He scored his first goal with the CMNT against Barbados on January 10, 2020. Nelson also represented Canada at the Concacaf Men’s U-17 Championship, where he scored five goals (including a hat-trick against Guatemala) in six appearances as Canada qualified for the FIFA U-17 World Cup for the first time since 2013. Nelson was recently named 2019 Canadian Youth International Player of the Year, becoming the first Toronto FC player to win the award. TRANSACTION: Toronto FC has signed forward Jayden Nelson as a Homegrown Player. JAYDEN NELSON Position: Forward Height: 5’7" Weight: 145 lbs. Birthdate: September 26, 2002 (Age – 17) Birthplace: Brampton, ON Nationality: Canadian Last Club: Toronto FC II
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