The Laba results are in... It’s positive. (NOW WITH 50% MORE OFFICIAL!)

The "$1.35 Million Dollar Man"?



UPDATED: Shockingly, between Argentinos Juniors announcing the deal yesterday and today, Matias Laba's plane wasn't diverted and his transfer didn't vanish somewhere over Brazil. Instead, your Toronto Eff Cee's officially announced the Argentine starlet's signing this morning.

Laba becomes the club's first "Young DP" but as per MLS blah, blah, blah there are no finances discussed. Sadly, Young DP has little to do with Young MC but with Laba's hefty (MLS hefty) transfer fee, he will be expected to bust many a move.

Yesterday's article below...

You know how the old saying goes: "when one Argentine door closes, another Argentine midfielder opens up". Then they say something in Spanish. Then they complain about The Falkland Islands for a bit. Then we tango.
　
Hot on the heels of Toronto FC withdrawing (or vice-versa) from a potential deal to bring Argentine striker Maximiliano Urruti to town, a full transfer for Argentino Juniors' midfielder Matias "Don't make us do that nickname" Laba seems to be done. At least according to this article from the Argentine club's website. Translate into English if you like... the exciting headline becomes "It approved the sale of Laba" - which makes it sound like some mythical decision-making beast runs their club.
　
Because we play in the secret financial society that is MLS we will likely never know the true value of the transfer fee but most are pegging it in the $1.35 Million range. In a league not known for splashing the cash on transfers this may very well be one of the riskier moves in TFC history. If Laba proves to be the dynamic playmaker TFC craves in the midfield then the club may have bought a 21-year-old on the verge of greatness. If he can't adjust to life in MLS... whooo boy - the criticism will not be pretty.
　
We await Toronto FC to officially brand this deal as "FIN" but you can't fault Reds supporters for holding their breath until he's holding up that maple leafy kit. Laba is apparently en route to Toronto in the next 24 hours but who knows what malarkey can occur in the air between here and Buenos Aires? As they say in Argentina "stay tuned!". Then they say "The Falklands are the Malvinas!" so take it with a pinch of salt.

THE WORD: The "Miliano Dollar Man"?

"Everybody's got a price!" (Argentine Virgil not pictured)



"Young DP" hasn't been talked about this much since the unfounded rumours of a 'Young MC' sex tape all those years ago. Alas, "Bust A Move/Nut" turned out to be a hoax but that doesn't stop DP fever from hitting a crescendo in the TFC nether regions.
　
In the long and successful history of Toronto FC designated players, one that includes Julian de Guzman, Mista and Torsten Frings' hip - never have The Reds ventured into the fairly untested waters of MLS' "young DP" program. However, when updating the local media on possible additions to the squad recently, TFC President Kevin Payne admitted that a youthful Argentine was indeed being scouted by new head scout Pat Onstad. Since then, possible targets have been rumoured but today we may have our first glimpse at our Argie Loch Ness monstero.
　
Toronto football journalist/Brennan truther, Kristian Jack cited multiple sources on website 4-2-3-1.com that the target in question is 22-year-old Newell's Old Boys striker Maximiliano Urruti. The well-built forward saw his stock rise rapidly at our favourite-named Argentine club but has seen his minutes diminished with the return of a veteran striker to NOB. Once garnering interest from a host of Europa League-level European clubs, Urruti may be seeking a new start somewhere that will see him get mucho minuto.
　
Before we start making "Canada's Maradona" T-shirts however, there are some question marks surrounding Urruti. His scoring record is considered modest for a player of his age and position in Argentina. There is also a potentially sticky issue over claims that Urruti made disparaging remarks about the ethnicity of a Paraguayan player during a Copa Libertadores match earlier this year. Toronto's Little Asuncion neighbourhood will not be pleased.
　
This deal is definitely far from certain with TFC letting everyone know that it will be weeks and not days before we hear actual news. Also, how his contract would be structured in the MLS young DP program (long-term loan etc.) is also a mystery at the moment. The suddenly tiny amount of international roster spots on TFC would also have to be addressed to add more non-domestics (rumours of a one way ticket purchase to Bermuda not confirmed) so this is a story very much in the mixing bowl. But hey, a dynamic-looking striker (watch video here - WARNING: Screaming) with an awesome super villain name from an even greater named club! What's not to like?
　
Dropping science… Is Urruti down?

Out mit the alt, in mit the neu

No Pat... we said "Young DP"



You can take his face off of the sides of those milk cartons - Kevin Payne was not missing after all. On the heels of Torsten Frings' almost emotional and extremely classy goodbye to TFC, the club president was finally forced to update his very concerned fan base about the lack of incoming players. With two DP's down and a preseason roster still mostly filled with Academy prospects, draft picks and trialists, Payne attempted to assuage an increasingly angered mob before torches were lit.
　
The "potential" additions to the club include:
- Hogan Ephraim: the 24-year-old winger and sometime striker is apparently an "imminent" (you've heard that somewhere before) signing on a loan deal from his parent club Queen's Park Rangers. The Iron Sheik has gone on the record saying "The Hogan has the raisinballs" so Payne may want to re-consider.
- John Bostock: Yes, he of the angry father calling TalkSport radio to call out Harry Redknapp, is on trial after failing to garner interest from San Jose Earthquakes. The 21-year-old was once touted as a future England international attacking mid but has seen his career stutter after numerous loan failures and rumours of a shoddy work-ethic and questionable attitude. Potential signing would again be on a loan basis from Tottenham.
- Robert Earnshaw: the very experienced 31-year-old Welsh international striker is flying into Toronto tonight to "take a look" at the club and vice-versa. With many years spent in the English Championship at such clubs as Derby County, Nottingham Forest (he's a Welsh Clough) and Norwich City, he could be the kind of goal scorer that would work under Ryan Nelsen's system. Would have to put this one at 50/50 at best for the moment.
- Two Hondurans and a microphone: Where's it at? Apologies to Beck but TFC ("I'm a loser baby") apparently have two players from the Central American nation on their radar. The club has been linked with a few Hondurans this spring so take your pick from Alfredo Mejia, Arnold Peralta, Rommel Quioto and numerous other random Tegucigalpans.
- An Argentine DP: this was the one that came out of left-field. Payne has dispatched Head Scout Pat Onstad down to work on his tango and take a look at a player who would be a "young DP". Which is apparently not the same thing as Young MC. The yet unnamed striker would be a big addition talent-wise (you would imagine) but as per all of the above moves - would be a loan signing. Bust a move already.
- Coming soon: in post-conference interviews Payne lamented the short period of time he has had to re-tool The Reds but told fans to expect a few changes in the first couple of months of the season.
　
While updating the fans on these potential moves is a welcome positive, it will be at the new regime's peril if most of these official "rumours" don't pan out. Yes, deals fall through every day in the world of football but with four days remaining before First Kick, TFC supporter patience, rightly or wrongly, is as thin as the roster.

UPDATE: Our colleague and pal from Waking The Red, Kristin Knowles (@kzknowles on teh twitterz) has been doing yeoman's schmoozing work at the TFC Launch Party tonight and has managed to get word out that The Reds have apparently made a few signings. Supplemental Draft Pick (and our very own Peter Crouch-esque striker) Taylor Morgan, QPR-owned winger Hogan Ephraim and (most likely) Academy product Jonathan Osorio have joined the club.

Now seriously TFC, time to do this...