TORONTO -- The most potent offence in Major League Soccer added another weapon Friday.

Toronto FC signed veteran forward Herculez Gomez, sending allocation money to Sporting Kansas City which held the right of first refusal for the U.S. international within MLS.

The 33-year-old Gomez played most recently in Mexico for Puebla Futbol Club. In addition to time with five Mexican teams, he has MLS experience with the Los Angeles Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, Colorado Rapids and Kansas City.

"Another veteran presence. Another person who has been to the MLS playoffs, has won in MLS (and) has won internationally down in Mexico," Toronto general manager Tim Bezbatchenko said Friday. "It's about adding, not just people that can help on the field, but can be leaders in the locker-room."

Gomez has six goals in 24 appearances for the U.S. national team. He had 23 goals and 13 assists in 124 MLS appearances (including 83 starts).

"Energy, goals, certainly given where he is in his career, some experience. Those are all very, very important things," said Toronto captain Michael Bradley when asked what Gomez will bring to the club. "I've played a number of times with him on the (U.S.) national team, we've been on the field in some big games together so it'll be great to get him here and get him going in our group."

Gomez's last MLS season was 2009 with the then-Kansas City Wizards, now Sporting Kansas City.

A club spokesman said Toronto did not use any of its targeted allocation money in signing Gomez.

Gomez, the 15th American on Toronto's roster, adds character and colour as well as experience to the team. A savvy user of social media, he brings some 228,00 Twitter followers with him.

"Herculez is a competitor first and foremost," said Toronto head coach Greg Vanney, who played with Gomez in 2007 with the Colorado Rapids. "He's a winner, he's won championships in both MLS and in the Mexican league. He's a hard worker, he takes pride in the work that he does.

"He's versatile. He can play in midfield positions, he can also play at forward."

In another move Friday, Toronto traded defender/midfielder Warren Creavalle to the Philadelphia Union for a second-round pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft.

That helped the team free up some salary space. Creavalle is making US$119,000 this season, according to the MLS Players Union.

Led by Italian dynamo Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto leads the league in offence in averaging 1.71 goals a game.

Giovinco has been a huge part of that. The former Juventus star leads the league in goals (16), shots (122), shots on goal (52) and is fourth in assists (10).

With a combined total of 26 goals and assists, Giovinco has been directly involved in 72.2 per cent of Toronto's scoring.

Toronto also had U.S. international striker Jozy Altidore (seven goals) as well as Luke Moore (one goal), who is rehabbing an ankle injury, and Robbie Findley (one).

Toronto fans may wonder if the club has done enough to stabilize a defence that ranks 19th in the league, conceding 1.67 goals a game.

Moroccan international Ahmed Kantari and Josh Williams were recently added, with Kantari slotting into the starting lineup alongside Polish international centre back Damien Perquis. Williams, a former Columbus and New York City FC player, is getting into game shape.

Fullback Ashtone Morgan is also healthy again after an adductor strain.

Acquired in July 2014 in a trade with the Houston Dynamo, the 24-year-old Creavalle made 15 league appearances for Toronto with two goals. He saw action in 26 games in all competitions.

"This transaction allows us some flexibility both in terms of our roster and on the cap," Bezbatchenko said in a statement exactly one hour before announcing the acquisition of Gomez.

In trading for Creavalle originally, Toronto talked up his ability to change different positions.

"We feel his versatility will be a welcomed addition to our club," Bezbatchenko said at the time.

But the club never really found a home for him. There was little room for him in the midfield and Creavalle was very much a work in progress at right back, a spot where Toronto has had limited options recently.

The acquisition of Williams did not help Creavalle's cause at the club.

- With files from Dhiren Mahiban.