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While the search for a marquee attacker continues behind the scenes, Toronto FC coach Robin Fraser likes what he sees at training camp in Spain.
The MLS club escaped the recent deluge of snow in Toronto, departing Jan. 21 for the Marbella Football Center, where constant rain has been the lone weather concern.
Despite that, Fraser says so far, so good at camp.
"The spirit is great. The competitive nature in training has been fantastic, to be quite honest," he said Tuesday in a virtual availability. "Players that we had last year have really come back with kind of a renewed vigour. The newer players have also jumped right in.
"So I feel like we're in such a good place right now in terms of our mentality and the work that we're putting in. It feels like a very, very good environment right now."
Fraser acknowledges that the roster is not yet complete. Toronto has been actively searching for a designated player to lead the attack, with Norwich City's Josh Sargent a reported target. The U.S. international is currently on the outs with the English second-tier club, training with the under-21 side while pushing for a transfer.
"We are definitely still looking for a few pieces," said Fraser. "And we have been in discussions with and continue to look at and vet some of the attacking options that we want. So we feel like we're pretty close to closing in on a few.
"So in a sense, that's really exciting that the team looks as committed as they do, and we still are missing a few pieces."
Several others are still making their way back from injury.
Defenders Nicksoen Gomis and Henry Wingo, both recovering from long-term injuries sustained last season, are still not fully fit.
Gomis underwent surgery last May to repair his left Achilles tendon, while Wingo went under the knife in June to repair a quadriceps injury.
"When I see them running around the field, they look ready to me, to the naked eye," said Fraser. "But certainly Nicks, with the severity of the Achilles (injury), we have to be cautious and slow with him."
"And the same goes for Henry as well," he added. "He's had a number of injuries since he's been here."
The team is also being cautious on the wet fields in Spain with newly acquired Brazilian left back Matheus Pereira, who is coming off an injury in November.
Toronto opens its exhibition schedule Wednesday with a 90-minute match against South Korean club Incheon United behind closed doors.
Fraser plans to go with a veteran lineup in the first half, with a younger group taking over in the second half.
"We feel like we want to build that cohesion right away," he said in explaining the veteran group to start.
Incheon was relegated to South Korea's second tier after the 2024 season but won promotion last year by topping the K League 2 standings at 23-7-9.
Toronto has sent 32 players to Spain, including 24 currently on first-team contracts.
The camp roster also includes four TFC 2 or academy players, two draft picks and two trialists, with Fraser saying all have "shown real promise."
Forward Hugo Mbongue, a former TFC player who spent last season out on loan, and goalkeeper Zakaria Nakhly are the trialists in camp.
"I feel like he has matured," Fraser said of Mbongue. "The things that he was pretty good at last year, he's better at this year."
Fraser also praised Nakhly, who spent time in Belgium in Charleroi's youth system.
"He's made some unbelievable saves," he said.
The TFC 2/academy players in camp are defender Richard Chukwu, midfielders Antone Bossenberry and Tim Fortier and forward Jahmarie Nolan.
Nolan has since left camp to join the Jamaican under-17 side.
Chukwu, Bossenberry and Fortier all represented Canada at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar in November, with Chukwu serving as captain. In October, the 17-year-old Bossenberry was included in the Guardian newspaper's list of the 60 best young football talents in the world.
Nolan became the youngest player in club history to sign an MLS NEXT Pro contract last March when he joined TFC 2 at the age of 15.
Defender Jackson Gilman and midfielder Fletcher Bank are the draft choices in camp.
Toronto opens the regular season on Feb. 21 at FC Dallas with subsequent visits to Vancouver and Cincinnati before hosting the New York Red Bulls on March 14.
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