Nelson Palacio

Analysis: Palacio is heading to the sidelines and will be out for the time being, as the midfielder has received surgery on his thigh after struggling with the injury since joining the club. This will knock him out for the rest of the season, unfortunately, unable to debut with Toronto this season. He will now prepare for the 2027 campaign, as he should recover in time for the season opener, although any setback could take his return past the season opener.

Sep 10, 2026

Struggling in recovery

Palacio (lower body) has dealt with multiple setbacks from the muscle soreness that has prevented him from making his Toronto debut, and is still seeing specialists to determine the full extent of his injury, with club general manager Jason Hernandez saying "He's obviously a young player who has a lot to give. He had long layoff and was coming to us ready to get himself going. He joined us in a moment where he had a lot of downtime, came in and obviously passed the medical, and was having a tough time getting himself going." per Benedict Rhodes of Waking the Red.

Analysis: Palacio hasn't played since May, and it appears his full recovery will require at least a few more weeks as the team will want to be cautious for him to avoid further relapses. The midfielder could still be involved in the current MLS season, although his impact may be limited until the final weeks. Meanwhile, there will be more opportunities for Niklas Dorsch, Markus Cimermancic and Alonso Coello.