Toronto FC is on the verge of putting pen to paper with its first designated player target of the year, after Brazilian striker Gilberto flew into town Tuesday.

He spent the evening sitting in MLSE chairman Larry Tanenbaum’s courtside seats at the Raptors/Spurs game.

The deal is not fully done. Gilberto will undergo a physical on Wednesday. His manager, speaking in an English/Portuguese argot, said that both parties are “still moving the tiles.”

But the 24-year-old was already talking — and looking — like he’s made the move to Canada.

Pre-game, he was sitting in a steaming ACC restaurant wearing a Canada Goose fleece, with his TFC scarf wrapped up to his ears.

First impressions?

“Fantastic. It’s very cold, but no problem,” the 24-year-old said, speaking through a translator.

Then, in case that might have come off as ill mannered, he turned away from the bowl of calamari he was tucking into and gave a long series of very vigorous thumbs up.

He doesn’t speak a word of English. And suddenly, that mid-week move for native Brazilian and MLS veteran Jackson makes even more sense.

Gilberto’s deal is thought to be worth over $5 million in total, though it’s not yet clear how that money is spread between his transfer fee from Brazil’s Internacional and his wage.

Why this team, and why now?

“I’m coming to a very good side. I also appreciate the quality of life here. And I want to open a new market in Major League Soccer for Brazilians. The primary job is to win titles.”

Gilberto is, in order, too polite, quite nice, ambitious and wildly ambitious. If the club is worried about goals, he’s coming here with all sorts, metaphorical and literal.

“MLS has a lot of room to grow,” he said. “I want to do part of the work to help MLS grow up.”

You don’t want to take much (anything?) from a ragged translation over a dinner table, but this kid also does not lack for confidence.

Again, a very quick first impression, but many of Toronto FC’s previous foreign signings have arrived wide-eyed and out of sorts. Argentine Matias Laba still talks as if he’s expecting interviewers to start beating him with phone books.

Gilberto shows none of that hesitation at first encounters. He seemed remarkably at ease, verging on giddy, at his new surroundings.

This is the first real domino in Toronto FC’s off-season strategy.

At a media encounter earlier in the day, GM Tim Bezbatchenko said the club expects to sign at least two other MLS veterans in addition to Gilberto and Jackson.

Asked if one of those could be the club’s prodigal son, Dwayne De Rosario, Bezbatchenko said he had spoken to De Rosario’s agent. Whether that turns to action will be a function of the Canadian star happily accepting less money and less playing time.

In return, Bezbatchenko can offer a club that is taking running leaps in terms of quality.

Gilberto is an unknown commodity here, but club management is convinced he is a future star, not only in domestic soccer, but overseas at some point.

Jackson adds depth and attacking nous from midfield. One or two others will be counted on to bolster coach Ryan Nelsen’s counterattacking style.

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Still, the off-season cannot be considered a success until the club ropes in primary DP target Jermain Defoe. Those talks are understood to be ongoing and positive. The people who work behind the scenes on the logistics end of things are already preparing as if Defoe’s arrival in a new city, in need of a new home, is imminent.

After a great many broken promises, this bud is finally beginning to sprout real leaves.

It took a while — far too long — but you must tip your hat when these eternal foraging missions finally begin returning with young players of real quality.

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