TORONTO

One win in 18 league games.

Two wins in 32 MLS matches dating back to last season.

Countless crushing late-game collapses that have frustrated everyone associated with the club.

Toronto FC is searching for some good news this summer — something to lift spirits at BMO Field, where the Reds haven’t tasted victory in more than a year.

Keep looking, TFC fans, because another bombshell dropped Tuesday on what very well could be — at least statistically — TFC’s worst season yet.

Now, after weeks of speculation, it appears Uruguayan international Diego Forlan won’t join Toronto FC.

This after a report from the Globe and Mail earlier this month indicated the 34-year-old’s arrival at BMO Field was imminent.

That set off a firestorm of media speculation that stretched from here to South America, with some reports backing the claim while many wrote it off as fiction.

As for Toronto FC, its front office went as far to identify Forlan as a target, but wouldn’t budge when pressed as to the significance of the report.

Two weeks on, the source that first initiated the speculation, the Washington Post, shut the door on the deal Tuesday with a simple tweet.

“Forlan has told U.S. contacts he does’t want to go to Toronto,” Post soccer insider Steven Goff wrote.

Sure, the report that pegged Forlan’s signing as being imminent was premature, but dialogue between the two sides did take place.

While the significance of the dialogue is something of an unknown, Forlan’s current club, Brazil’s Internacional, has been consistent from the beginning.

“This story has no truth in it,” an email from Internacional forwarded to the Toronto Sun said. “Diego’s contract runs until 2015 and he’s not leaving right now.”

While it’s always difficult to take a club at its word — Argentinos Juniors, Matias Laba’s former club, said something similar earlier this season — it appears Internacional’s original stance rings true. Unfortunately for TFC, speculation of Forlan’s imminent arrival, even if it didn’t come from the club’s top brass, has caused even more discontent amongst a fan base that’s desperate for a handful of summer acquisitions after the Reds dumped an immense amount of salary this summer.

“Everybody is trying their hardest,” TFC head coach Ryan Nelsen said of adding players. “I think there will be a few announcements in the next couple of days. I’ve been in the front of the queue banging on doors since we took over. Hopefully we’ll get it over the line as soon as possible.

“Unfortunately, (goal-scorers) don’t grow on trees,” Nelsen continued. “Yeah, you can go out there and take a risk on certain players but that’s what has happened in the past. To fix a long-term problem you don’t put in a short-term solution.”

While true, Nelsen’s words are reason to take pause.

The club seemed certain of at least a pair of summer signings before the transfer window opened, and appeared confident fans would be impressed with some of the moves that were in the works.

So far, nothing, despite having loads of cap space and roster room to work with.

The Reds have missed out on at least one of their major summer targets.

Now, TFC must hope Plan B comes to fruition — and offers quite a bit more than the group that got them to this point.

NOTES

Nelsen announced Tuesday that Danny Koevermans is expected to miss at least another few weeks with a calf injury, meaning he likely won’t return until early August ... Robert Earnshaw is expected back for a weekend tilt at home to Columbus after missing last weekend’s goalless draw against New York with a hamstring issue.

LARSON’S MINI MID-SEASON TFC REPORT CARD

A week out from the MLS all-star game, our soccer guy reviews the Reds halfway through the season …

Coach/GM-Ryan Nelsen/Kevin Payne, C+, Should be commended for clearing bad contracts — O’Dea, Frings, Hassli, etc. — but have to sign the right personnel in near future. Matias Laba was a good start.

MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS

D-Gale Agbossoumonde, B- , Fantastic? No, but a pleasant surprise. Good depth signing.

M-Kyle Bekker, C, Satisfactory in a few brief cameos this season. Good draft pick?

G-Joe Bendik, A, Didn’t know what we were getting. Now we do.

F-Justin Braun, C, Expected to produce more due to decent salary.

F-Jeremy Brockie, B+, Absolute work horse. Reds would have no options without him.

D-Steven Caldwell, B, Would have an A if not for Montreal match.

M-Bobby Convey, C, Showed glimpses in New York game.

F-Robert Earnshaw, C, Can he score in this league, or not?

D-Richard Eckersley, B, Has been solid in limited showings this season.

M-Jeremy Hall, C, Depth guy in a starter’s role. Bad recipe.

D-Doneil Henry, C+, Has the physical tools, but has shown lack of discipline.

F-Danny Koevermans, C, Was I wrong to expect more after ACL tear?

M-Matias Laba, B, Slow start has made way for impressive outings.

M-Reggie Lambe, D, Hasn’t been good enough. No goals, No assists in 17 games.

D-Ashtone Morgan, C-, Lacking confidence that will prove difficult to restore.

D-Ryan Richter, C-, A depth guy who had to factor far too much.

M-Darel Russell, C, An emergency winter signing who blends in.

F-Andrew Wiedeman, C, Hasn’t featured much. Decent showing in Canadian Cup.

M-Jonathan Osorio, B-, Playing beyond his years, but still shows immaturity at times.

The Rest

M-Emery Welshman - Has the physical, tools but needs games. Struggles in tight spaces.

M-Michael Thomas - A solid depth guy who could help build club’s foundation.

G-Quillan Roberts - The more you watch him in training, the more you like him.

G-Stefan Frei - Would be stunned if he was at the club next season.

D-Mark Bloom - Still a mystery after arriving on loan this month.