Toronto FC II announced today that the club has signed goalkeeper Gianluca Catalano to a short-term MLS NEXT Pro contract. TFC II retains an exercise option for the remainder of the 2023 and the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro seasons respectively. Catalano will be added to the club’s roster pending league and federation approval.
Catalano, 23, most recently played for Vaughan Azzurri of League1 Ontario, where he made 15 appearances through two seasons (2022, 2023), including a nine-save performance against CF Montréal in the 2023 Canadian Championship. He previously also spent time with York United of the Canadian Premier League (2022) and AC Connecticut of USL League Two (2019). At the collegiate level, Catalano represented the University of Connecticut across two seasons (2018, 2019), registering three clean sheets and making 54 saves in 19 appearances for the UConn Huskies.
Catalano originally joined the Toronto FC Academy in November 2012 after spending eight years playing with Kleinburg Nobleton Soccer Club. He represented the TFC Academy across the U-12 to U-19 age groups and played in multiple youth tournaments internationally in the USA, Mexico, France and Italy. In 2017, he helped the TFC Academy lift the inaugural International Youth Soccer Cup by saving the final penalty in a shootout win against Juventus FC. The Woodbridge, Ontario native also made five appearances for Toronto FC II of the USL Championship in 2018, including his debut against Atlanta United 2 on May 16.
Internationally, Catalano represented Canada at the 2017 Concacaf U-17 Championship in Panama, keeping one clean sheet and starting all three of the team’s games at the tournament.
TRANSACTION: Toronto FC II sign goalkeeper Gianluca Catalano to a short-term MLS NEXT Pro contract.
GIANLUCA CATALANO
Position: Goalkeeper
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 183 lbs.
Birthdate: May 6, 2000 (Age – 23)
Hometown: Woodbridge, Ontario
Nationality: Canadian
Last Club: Vaughan Azzurri
