Music: {allcanada} TORONTO FC SIGN MIDFIELDER APARICIO FROM ACADEMY TEAM

Thursday, August 8, 2013

{allcanada} TORONTO FC SIGN MIDFIELDER APARICIO FROM ACADEMY TEAM

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TORONTO -- Toronto FC Academy midfielder Manuel (Manny) Aparicio has signed as a homegrown player with the club's first team.

Aparicio, 17, started in seven matches and scored two goals for the academy's senior team this season.

Aparicio has also made five appearances for the club in MLS Reserve League play this season, starting in four matches.

"We're very pleased to have Manny graduate from our Academy to our first team. He's a terrific young man and talented player," said Toronto FC president and general manager Kevin Payne. "His signing is further evidence of the quality of our Academy."

Aparicio joined the Academy in October 2010 after spending one season with the Unionville Milliken Soccer Club. After moving to Canada with his family, Aparicio joined the North York Soccer Club and spent four seasons there.

Aparicio was recently named to Canada's under-18 side that will compete in 2013 COTIF U-20 Tournament later this month in l'Alcudia, Spain.

A club may sign a player to his first professional contract without subjecting him to the MLS SuperDraft if the player has trained for at least one year in the club's youth development program and has met the league's homegrown player criteria.

There is no limit to the number of Homegrown Players a club may sign in a given year.