If the Reds cracked open the vault for Jermain Defoe, a Premier League club just blew it to smithereens.

The momma drama is officially over at Toronto FC as the Reds confirmed a blockbuster deal Tuesday night to send Defoe to Sunderland for roughly $11 million – a near-record MLS transfer fee.

As part of the deal, Sunderland agreed to offload U.S. international Jozy Altidore back to Major League Soccer, where the coveted striker will go through the league’s allocation process before finding a team.

The Toronto Sun has learned that while the Reds still consider themselves a front-runner to land Altidore, the World Cup veteran can’t officially be called a TFC player as of Tuesday night.

But as the two clubs also believed to be in pursuit of Altidore – the Portland Timbers and New York Red Bulls – sit behind Toronto FC in the league’s allocation ranking, the Reds appear to be in line to land one of Major League Soccer’s biggest off-season signings shortly after shipping off last year’s marquee addition.

And so ends what seemed like a match made in heaven this time last year.

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Amid injuries and off-field distractions, Defoe went from adored to dearly departed as far as fans at BMO Field were concerned.

The former England international decided he was done with Toronto FC following dual snubbings – one by England, the other by the MLS all-star team.

The Toronto Sun later reported his mother’s discontent played a role in Defoe’s eventual dissolution at Toronto FC – something that made the selling of Toronto’s “Bloody Big Deal” appear all the more difficult.

The Reds even passed on a chance to offload Defoe at the summer transfer window when they turned down a similar $11 million offer from Queens Park Rangers.

It turns out Toronto FC’s decision to hold onto Defoe could, in the end, have an even bigger payoff.

Multiple sources have confirmed to the Sun the Reds appear to be the front-runner to land Altidore, a 6-foot-1 striker with loads of international experience who has shown he can score in Europe.

While he has failed to consistently score in multiple Premier League stints, Altidore bagged 39 goals in 67 appearances while competing for AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie.

The 25-year-old has also scored 25 goals in 76 appearances for the United States, demonstrating an ability to score against some of the best nations in the world.

What remains unclear is how big a role Major League Soccer’s front office will play in determining where Altidore ends up.

Working in Toronto FC’s favour is the fact Altidore is keen to play with Toronto FC midfielder Michael Bradley, according to a source in the position to know.

Altidore is said to have a desire to play alongside TFC’s General, who he has competed with on the international stage since the two were teenagers.

“There isn’t anybody who thinks more of Jozy as a player than me,” Bradley told the Toronto Sun exclusively. “He and I have played together on the national team for a long time.

“Wherever he ends up at the end of this transfer window, that club is going to be getting a complete striker. He’s somebody who has a desire and a determination to improve himself like no other.”

With or without the addition of Altidore, the Reds could be in line to improve regardless.

The Toronto Sun has also learned that Toronto FC remains in talks to acquire Sebastian Giovinco, a 27-year-old attacking midfielder whose contract with Juventus runs out in July.

Those talks are said to be heading in a “positive” direction, according to a well-placed source.

Should the Reds add both Giovinco and Altidore, Toronto FC might be forced to sell Gilberto in order to abide by the league’s maximum Designated Player rule – a rule that permits MLS clubs to have just three players they pay over and above the salary cap.

The Reds are already paying Bradley around $30 million over the next five years.

Altidore is reportedly seeking a multi-year deal worth as much as $6 million annually.

Giovinco’s would-be deal would likely be similar.

All and all it makes Sunderland’s bank-breaking deal look pretty minuscule.

And that has to make TFC fans fairly content following close to a decade of discontent.