Considering MLS previously made it known that you weren’t supposed to be using money to buy down domestics and that DP slots should be given to foreign attackers over defenders or keepers, etc. just shows that your line of thinking is correct.
MLS isn’t necessarily a retirement league, but there’s a reason every older player in Europe has their agent linking them to MLS (aka I’ll get more money there), and, more specifically, to Toronto FC (because we were the team with the highest payroll).
Edit: Just as a thought experiment, if TFC decided to go the Atlanta “route” (I’m not even saying this is what they’re doing, but what the internet presents them as doing — hiring young South American talent), why doesn’t the FO just sign up and coming Belgians and French players, considering that’s where their scouts are.
Instead, we’re getting players who once played in France and did okay but were reclaim projects, former Belgian players of the year, and USMNT players coming back from abroad.
The problem is that Parisian suburbs are massively over represented at the top level, but that not every young French player is an Mbappé and every young dude playing in Belgium isn’t KDB. Instead of rolling the dice, like they could with their connections, they’re targeting a specific cadre of player. It’s pretty obvious: Vazquez (the original DP target that ended up being Giovinco), Hanni, Pozo... Cheyrou, Perquis, VDW, the defender who shall not be named from Ligue 2, Mavinga...
TFC isn’t focusing on homegrown or domestic youth for their first team spends when Chapman is still considered a youth prospect for some inexplicable reason...