Ricardo Quaresma is not a target for Toronto FC despite various reports, a league source has confirmed to ESPN FC.
The 35-year-old Besiktas attacker was reported to be on the Reds' wish list, but that is not the case according to the source. TSN was the first to report that Toronto isn't pursuing Quaresma.
Quaresma's salary demands would appear to preclude him from landing with Toronto. Another source stated that the Portugal international wanted a salary of $3 million after taxes, which would put his pre-tax salary at around $4.8m.
Such a number is not only well above the Designated Player (DP) threshold of $530,000, but is also above the $1.5m maximum in which a player's salary can be bought down through the use of Targeted Allocation Money.
Quaresma has played in several of the world's biggest clubs, including with Sporting CP, Barcelona, Porto, Inter Milan and Al-Ahli as well as a brief loan stint with Chelsea. He has spent the last four seasons with Besiktas -- his second stint with the club -- where he has scored 20 goals in 148 league and cup appearances; and helped the Black and Whites to two Turkish Super Lig titles.
At international level, Quaresma has scored 10 goals in 80 appearances, and was part of the Portugal side that claimed Euro 2016.
Sources have also confirmed a report from SoccerToday host Duane Rollins that Toronto is close to signing KRC Genk midfielder Alejandro Pozuelo to a DP contract, though one source cautioned that the deal is not done yet.
If Toronto succeeds in acquiring Pozuelo, that would put them at the maximum number of three DPs.