In a statement confirming the shock transfer of TFC talisman Dwayne De Rosario to New York, Aron Winter paid the appropriate lip service to the value of the players he got in return.
"We have acquired two very strong players that I believe will have an immediate and long-term impact at our club," Winter said, of midfielder Tony Tchani and defender Danleigh Borman.
Sure. Fine. That's all well and good. But Tchani's 21, and has only managed one goal in his 29 games for the Red Bulls and Borman is a left back. De Rosario, on the hand, is Toronto FC's all-time leading goal scorer, and has scored – or contributed to – half of Toronto's goals this season. (Yes that's only two of the four, but still).
So, as much as Toronto needs a left back (Adrian Cann ain't cutting it over there), and as much as Winter may be able to mold a young guy like Tchani, neither is a replacement for DeRo.
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So what else did Toronto get? Well, they seem to have gotten rid of a problem in the dressing room. DeRo was a captain in name, sure, be his final days in Toronto made him look more like an individual rather than a team player. Regardless of what was actually going on, for the team to move forward in the direction the new front office wants it to, there needs to be some healing. And in De Rosario's case, it seems, some dealing.
What Toronto also got was a hole in the proven goal scoring department, and an opportunity to bring in a purpose build winger. DeRo – a natural No 10, behind-the-striker kind of guy – was good enough to make the wing work, and his spot isn't really well filled by the forwards left at Winter's disposal. Consider the options up front at the club now: There's the presumed starters (for now) in Maicon Santos, Javier Martina and Alan Gordon. The first two look good, Maicon in the middle and Martina out wide. But Gordon is no winger, and is only a serviceable centre forward, really. The others are promising and ripe for development down at Ajax-by-the-Lake, but not ready to bear the burden of a starting role: Joao Plata is just 19 years old, Keith Makubuya and Nicholas Lindsay both only 18. While TFC is probably better off without De Rosario's attitude, they're looking set to miss his ability.
But Dwayne's move to New York gives Toronto another happy plus, one that will whet the appetites of every supporter: cap room. (I don't know the exact figures at this point, but I don't think the new fellas are bringing down $425,000 between them).
So the question arises – does Winter have a direct replacement in his sights? Toronto's new coach has been clear that the changes he's making are going to take time, but he has also appeared very astute in his team building so far. It would be strange, then, for Winter to suddenly leave a big hole in TFC's attack. Don't be surprised, then, to see someone new coming into who isn't a displaced No. 10, but a natural attacking left winger.
And the names are being bandied about alread. The vast rumour machine that is the internet has come up with one just today: Craig Bellamy. Utter nonsense? Most likely, I'm bound to say, especially it comes at a time when the speedy Welshman is admitting that, playing in Cardiff, he's happy for the first time in his professional career. But, while it's probably safe to dismiss this as so much bunk, but how awesome would that be? (As long as you ignore the fact that Bellamy is a one-man dressing-room-harmony wrecking ball.)
What do you think? Is Winter going to use the cap room to bring in a purpose-built winger before the window closes on April 15 (or in the mid-season July 15 – August 14 window)? Who do you think it will be? More importantly, who do you want it to be?