Charlotte FC prospect watch: Idan Toklomati - Forward
By Sam Vanolinda
Idan Toklomati (20) - CF/RW - Charlotte FC
Idan Toklomati was momentous for Charlotte FC in their opening game against Seattle. The 20-year-old replaced Patrick Agyemang and created an own goal in the 92nd minute, saving a point for the Crown.
In the second game of the year, he replaced Agyemang again late, but with the team up 2-0, he just saw the final minutes out.
Most recently, the Israeli attacker made an appearance at right wing replacing Liel Abada against Inter Miami where he came within inches of a goal, hitting the far post.
Unless Charlotte soon brings in another striker to back up Agyemang, Toklomati will likely see some decent game time, especially if he performs as well as he did in his short cameos against the Sounders and Miami.
Dean Smith said Toklomati and Kristijan Kahlina were the only impressive players in that game against Seattle, so the coach has already called out his talent and effort.
Toklomati is a highly rated prospect who traveled to the 2024 Olympics with the Israeli national team. He is a player who could one day become a household name in MLS.
Let's dive into what type of player Toklomati is and how he could develop with the club.
How does he Compare with Agyemang?
Agyemang is 6’ 4”, while Toklomati is 5' 10", so we have two different prototypes for the striker position. The American striker is more of a lengthy, physical threat, who is most dangerous in 1 v 1 situations and finishing around the six. Toklomati is more controlled and bursty with his speed, making nifty runs inside or out wide to get behind defenses.
Toklomati is a modern winger/striker hybrid. He has the trickiness of a winger and the size and strength to slot into the striker position. He reminds me of Brighton and Hove Albion star, João Pedro.
In image 1 (above) he drifts into the left flank and uses his speed and technical ability to beat a fullback and create a goalscoring opportunity. Toklomati also looks to get in behind the defense with angled runs through the middle (see image 2 below).
This is the type of splitting run Toklomati likes to make in games. He has the burst to easily outpace the center backs and the dribbling and finishing ability to take advantage of the positions he gets into.
The most glaring positive that stands out about the Israeli attacker is his effort. He is good at pressing defenders off the ball, which is an underrated quality for a forward. That press is the reason that Charlotte saved a point against Seattle.
If a defender on the opposing team makes a mistake, Toklomati will be the first player to capitalize on it.
In image 3 (above), you can see him pressuring the opposing center back and winning the ball. After winning possession, he makes the right run and grabs an assist (image 4 below).
Toklomati is not going to be the goalscoring threat that Agyemang is; Agyemang’s size and speed combined with his finishing and 1-v-1 ability are what make him one of the highest-potential strikers in the MLS; with that said, it is always a good idea to have options off the bench that have a different playstyle.
Don't underestimate Toklomati’s aerial ability and athleticism either, in image 5 (below) you can see how high he gets for the opening score of in this game.
His modern combination of winger skills and striking ability make him a player with bags of potential. He can have an impact on the game both creating and finishing chances.
In image 6 (above) he gets up high again for a goal with Crown Legacy against New York Red Bulls II in August of 2024.
Here is the link to his full highlights in Israel, and here is the link for his impressive performance against New York:
How will he develop?
Last year with Crown Legacy, he started five regular-season games and two MLS Next Playoff games and contributed five goals and two assists. It was obvious quite quickly that Charlotte had gained a high-level attacking talent.
In the preseason, he got some solid minutes with the first-team players, and now he has come off the bench in the opening game three games of the season.
Agyemang will be the first choice at striker, and the wings have depth. But as seasons go on injuries happen and form fluctuates. I can see Toklomati starting a game later in the season, especially if the team doesn't bring in more attacking players.
The U.S Open Cup will likely be a time for the youngsters on the team to thrive, so I think Toklomati will get a start in the opening game of the competition, here we will be able to analyze a full start.
Agyemang has had a shaky start to the season, so if Agyemang struggles again, he may get more minutes than he has averaged so far. After the Miami performance, it also looks like Toklomati could get some minutes out on the right wing if Abada doesn't improve.
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