The Colorado Rapids dealt midfielder Mark-Anthony Kaye to Toronto FC on Friday in exchange for a package highlighted by midfielder Ralph Priso.
The Rapids will also receive $1.025 million in guaranteed General Allocation Money, a 2023 international roster slot and a first-round draft pick in 2023.
Kaye, 27, is a Toronto native and will join his hometown team for the first time. He spent the first five years of his MLS career with Los Angeles FC (2018-21) and Colorado (2021-22).
Kaye came up through Toronto FC’s academy and its USL affiliate, Toronto FC II. He also plays for the Canadian national team.
In 109 career MLS games (100 starts), Kaye has tallied 13 goals and 21 assists. He has three goals and one helper this season in 17 appearances.
“We are very excited to add Mark to our team,” said Toronto FC head coach and sporting director Bob Bradley, who also coached Kaye with LAFC. “Over the past five seasons Mark has established himself as one of the better two-way midfielders in the league. He’s an intelligent player who likes to be around the ball, a good passer, ball-winner, competitor and teammate.”
Priso, who turns 20 next month, spent his first two-plus MLS seasons with Toronto. He has scored two goals and made two assists in 25 appearances, 12 of them starts. That includes one goal in 10 games (four starts) in 2022.
“Ralph is one of the most talented, young midfielders in MLS,” Rapids general manager Padraig Smith said in a news release. “We’re delighted to welcome him to the club and believe he can develop into a core piece of our team’s midfield with his skillset.
“Mark played an important part in our team’s rise to the top of the West last season and was a model representative of our club off the pitch. We’re grateful to him for his contributions and wish him all the best in this next chapter of his career.”
The Rapids will receive $350,000 in GAM this year, $425,000 in 2023 GAM and another $250,000 in either 2023 or 2024 GAM, depending on Kaye’s roster status with Toronto next season.
Toronto also made a big move on Thursday when it traded 2020 MLS MVP Alejandro Pozuelo to Inter Miami CF for $150,000 in general allocation money.
–Field Level Media
