3 youth players who could make an impact next season for Toronto FC

ST - Hugo Mbongue

Age: 18 (2004)

Position(s): ST

Nationality: Canadian

Toronto FC announced on September 13th 2022, that they had signed Hugo Mbongue to a contract that keeps him at the club until 2025 with an option for another year. Mbongue is the younger brother of former Toronto FC player Ralph Priso.

Mbongue spent last season with Toronto FC II in MLS Next Pro recording four goals and six assists in 16 regular season games. That was good enough for second on the team in goal contributions despite missing eight games. He scored the game-winner for Toronto FC II against Philadelphia Union 2 in the first round of MLS Next Pro Playoffs.

Mbongue made his MLS debut in a 4-0 defeat against Philadelphia Union in Toronto's last game of the MLS regular season. Mbongue is a Canada youth international, having featured for the Canada U20's at this past summers' CONCACAF Men's U20 Championship. Mbongue featured for Canada's U15's in 2019 where he scored a hat-trick versus El Salvador in the CONCACAF Boys U15 Championship.

When Mbongue signed his first-team contract, Toronto FC Coach Bob Bradley had this to say:

""We look forward to seeing Hugo’s progress in his professional career and are confident that he’s going to become a player who can help the first team for many years.”"

- Bob Bradley (Toronto FC Head Coach)

Wtih Jesús Jiménez as the main guy up top and the potential for additional competition at striker, Hugo Mbongue will have to a good pre-season to make his way onto the team.