BERMUDA football fans have reveled in the exploits of MLS star Khano Smith with the New England Revolution. And now there is another youngster looking to follow in his footsteps ¿ Kilian Elkinson who signed for Toronto FC last night.

The 18-year-old marauding left back, who played for PHC and North Village at youth level, has been training with the MLS Canadian outfit run by former Celtic, Rangers and Scotland striker Mo Johnston.

The youngster told the Mid-Ocean News he has been thrilled to be training with some top players including former France winger Laurent Robert and hopes to work his way into the first team. "I am looking to improve more than anything," he said.

The developmental contract he signed offers him lower pay than a full pro contract but will allow him to carry on with his studies.

"Mo is a really good guy and he knows what he's doing," said the Bermuda-born teen who added he was happy and relieved to have signed the deal which runs until November.

Elkinson, who played for Warwick Academy and Saltus but left for further studies in Canada in 2005, was spotted by Toronto while playing for his school team Upper Canada College where he has won numerous honours and was most recently team captain and MVP in a championship year.

Bermuda national assistant coach Kenny Thompson had him as a youth player at North Village when he was around ten years old and travelled with him to Holland in an Under-13 outing which also involved Reggie Lambe, now at Ipswich.

Thompson said: "I always felt he had a good technique and good insight into the game ¿ he was very coachable. I wish him all the best, he's a pleasant young man who loves football. He's committed and hopefully he can make it.

"The more players we have in the professional arena the better it is for Bermuda football."

Saltus teacher Jon Beard who is also with the BFA, said: "Kilian's a very good player, he played in our senior team when he was three years younger than the rest. And he went straight into the team at Upper Canada College when he had to be at least two years younger than the rest of the team.

"He's not a tall player which could be a weakness but he reads the game so well. He's a great tackler and has a great left foot, he's a good distributor of the ball and understands the game."

Elkinson's proud dad Jeffrey Elkinson, a top lawyer with CD&P, added: "He's pretty well known in Toronto and got invited by the team to train with them a couple of times.

"He's actually a good striker too, he's scored a ton of goals for his school. He can move around. When he has the ball it's very difficult to get it away from him.

"Ever since he was a little guy people used to come up to me and say: 'That kid's amazing'."

The 52-year-old Elkinson senior, an Irishman who still plays with Sunday side Equalisers and once had a stint with Irish side Shamrock Rovers, said he was proud his son had signed with Toronto who play at the purpose-built BMO 20,000 city centre stadium which is also home to the Canadian national side.

"It's seriously popular, the Toronto fans are the most fanatical."

Toronto FC also announced this week that they have signed midfielder Amado Guevara. In exchange for the right to sign the Honduran international, the club have traded future considerations in the 2009 and 2010 MLS SuperDraft to Chivas USA.

"He's a different type of player, he can create and score goals," said manager Mo Johnston. "He's talented, and we've very happy that he's signed with us. It's a chance for him to resurrect his MLS career in Toronto, and I know our fans will embrace him."

Johnston is reunited with Guevara, 31, whom he coached while with the New York Red Bulls in 2006. The midfielder signed with the Metrostars arriving from Motagua (Honduras) in 2003. That season he was named Red Bulls' Team MVP.