Reds want to strengthen the back-end that allowed the franchise's worst 66 goals last year.

According to a source, Toronto FC has signed Carlos Salcedo, a Mexican international defender, from Mexico's Tigres UaNL as a designated player until 2024. Yeferson Soteldo, a Venezuelan international winger, is going the opposite way.

According to the source, who was not identified because of the pending announcements, they are two distinct transactions.

They are actually intertwined. Salcedo is now the designated player after Soteldo's departure.

Salcedo, 28, started his professional career in MLS with Real Salt Lake. He has also played in Italy, Germany, and other countries. He won 48 caps for Mexico and made his international debut in April 2015. He also started all four matches at 2018 World Cup.

Toronto hopes Salcedo can instill the steel and determination in the defence, which was lacking last season when TFC surrendered a franchise-worst total of 66 goals. The six-foot, 183-pounder is known as El Titan because of his strength on the ground and in the air.

In his first season with Toronto, Soteldo, 24 showed flashes brilliance. He scored four goals and he assisted 10 others in 26 games in all competitions. He was elusive on the ball and sometimes tormented his defenders. However, he was injured and his body language on field suggested that he wasn’t happy.

Salcedo, who spent the last four seasons at Tigres, returns to MLS.

Salcedo, a Guadalajara native, is a graduate from the Real Salt Lake-Arizona Academy. He signed as a homegrown player with Real Salt Lake in January 2013.

Salcedo joined Chivas Guadalajara in two seasons after leaving MLS for Mexico. He was granted a loan to Fiorentina in August 2016. In June 2017, he was given a loan to Eintracht Frankfurt, Germany.

Before joining Tigres in January 2019, he spent two seasons at Frankfurt.