TORONTO - Toronto FC dug into its wallet Friday to sign Julian de Guzman, making the Canadian international midfielder its first designated player.
The DP is a salary cap exception that allows MLS teams to sign marquee players like David Beckham and Freddie Ljungberg without going over the league payroll limit.
De Guzman, a classy midfielder who played most recently for Deportivo La Coruna in Spain, will wear No. 6 for Toronto.
"This is a dream come true for me, to be part of a professional team at this level in Toronto," de Guzman told a news conference.
"I'm home again. Couldn't ask for anything better," he added.
The 28-year-old has played for Canada 40 times and now finds himself clubmates with fellow Canadian internationals Dwayne De Rosario, Ali Gerba, Adrian Serioux and Jim Brennan.
Toronto said it had been chasing de Guzman for six or seven months.
"We made it happen and we think it's a wonderful signing," said Mo Johnston, Toronto FC's director of soccer.
"It's important we have the best Canadians and we're looking at a few more," he added.
De Guzman, who signed a 3 1/2-year deal, can play both as a holding and attacking midfielder for Toronto (8-9-7) which is chasing a playoff spot.
Prior to playing in Spain, he was with Hannover 96 and Saarbrucken in Germany.
His younger brother Jonathan elected to play internationally for the Netherlands.
Other current MLS designated players are Juan Pablo Angel, New York; David Beckham, Los Angeles, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Chicago; Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Columbus; Luciano Emilio, D.C. United; Luis Angel Landin, Houston; and Freddie Ljungberg, Seattle.
