Toronto FC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko has stated that the club are still fighting to keep Matías Laba at the club. Laba was one of the best players for Toronto last season, as the club finished ninth in the table just above DC United. This season, they have been making a lot of effort to move up the table. This has resulted in the signings of players like Jermain Defoe and Michael Bradley. They have been allocated to the designated player status at the club. Since this status is close to hitting the limit at Toronto, the club are believed to be looking at ways to offload Laba.

The player was a conspicuous absence from the pre-season media day, which has prompted speculation that he may leave the club before the start of the new season. However, Bezbatchenko has once again come from that the club do not have any plans of selling him, while they are looking at ways to continue keeping him at the club. Bezbatchenko did admit that it was going to be difficult to keep a player of Laba’s stature. Head coach Ryan Nelsen has also said that he very much wants to keep Laba at the club, but has admitted like the general manager, that it will be difficult.

“It’s going to be difficult, but we’re trying. We are still looking at our options between the three that we have, keeping him here, the option of trading or loaning him within the league and also options outside the league. We have been sitting down with the player to talk about what he would prefer to do because we are trying to treat our players a little bit differently than in the past, and we would like consider what their preferences are,” Bezbatchenko said about Laba’s future.