I suppose in some small way, MLSE helped facilitate the Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid move.

It is unlikely that the final figure will ever be made public on how much it cost to bring the Spanish giants to BMO Field, but if you split the difference of the set ticket prices ($177.5) and multiply that figure by 20,000 seats you arrive at $3,555,0000. A modest guestimate at best; and in reality a mere drop in the C$145.2 million bucket that Florentino Perez dipped in to for the services of the reigning player of the year.

So the question now surrounds whether or not Real Madrid reciprocate from the transfer (of funds). Even if there is a hint that Ronaldo or the now-old-news purchase of Kaka will get off the plane at Pearson International, the unbeknownst final figure paid will be worth every cent.

But for MLSE, even if the newest Galacticos never see the light of day in Toronto, reciprocity may come from a source MLSE never expected. The Reds' parent organization could never have known the windfall that awaited Ronaldo leaving England for a paid holiday in Spain when it bought up a soccer-specific network earlier this year. Now, seeing Ronaldo play in La Liga will cost you a subscription to GolTV, the same GolTV that was recently bought up by MLSE.

But I am certian the paying public want to see what magic can be wove against a MLS side.

But Toronto-centricity aside, the real stories behind Ronaldo lie in A) How the game of football continues to balk at the warnings issued by its leaders concerning overspending in an economic downturn; and B) What will be the effect of losing a double-digit scorer on a team that won the league by averaging less than two goals a game.

Come to think of it, the two are mutually inclusive. The best way to get out of a recession is to spend, and while Madrid continues to do it, Manchester United will follow suit. Nevermind the reported C$5.5-billion debt run up by England's Premier League clubs in 2008/09, retaining the precious Premier League crown is immune to such concerns. Spain his its problems too, in a country where unemployment is approaching 20 per cent, or four million people, signings of this nature are far from feel good stories.

The recruitment centre at MUFC headquarters is already lining up suitors to splash its new found wealth on, from Franck Ribery to Luis Antonio Valencia, the replacement Ronaldos are out there to be had. It is an envy that very few can boast: Say what you want, get what you want.

Hey, who knows, maybe the free-spending, free wheelin' ways of Real Madrid will rub off on MLSE when the club arrives to play in the much-maligned and much-anticipated friendly and an aging European designated player will follow. Until then, speculation -- and scalper costs -- will grow.

Follow TFC with Twitter. I update from training, on match days and whenever news breaks from the team.