Last fall, CSN reported that Gilberto wasn't expected to be back with Toronto FC. At the time the reaction was mostly disappointment mixed with a little hopeful skepticism.
Old Gil grew on people and what I was reporting was based on the fact that he had sold his car and condo in Toronto. It seemed like an odd things to do for a player that expected to be back, but some argued that maybe he just wanted a new car and condo.
Apparently not. Several people are reporting today that the deal is done and that Gilberto is heading back to Brazil to recently promoted from Serie B side Vasco. If would seem like a sideways step for the player, who came to TFC from Serie A.
What's frustrating to fans is all the lying. Despite it being obvious to everyone that A) TFC (figuratively) had too many strikers and B ) TFC (literally) had too many DPs, management insisted that Gilberto would be back.
Greg Vanney went so far as to speculate how he might team up with Jozy Altidore.
The bottom line is Gilberto only had seven goals last year. There is something to the idea that players from outside MLS take time to adjust and that they do better in their second seasons. Certainly that would be narrative in Toronto if he was coming back.
Whether that would have been wishful thinking is something that it now appears we'll never know.