Toronto capture Koevermans and Frings
Reuters - Wednesday 29 June 2011, 22:51
TORONTO - Toronto FC have bolstered their
squad with some experienced European players by signing former
Germany midfielder Torsten Frings and ex-Netherlands forward
Danny Koevermans, the Major League Soccer club said on
Wednesday.
The 34-year-old Frings and 32-year-old Koevermans became two
of the club's "designated players" who are paid mainly outside
the team's salary cap and will begin playing after July 15 when
the MLS transfer window opens.
"We have added two very important players with significant
experience and technical ability," Toronto head coach Aron
Winter said in a statement.
"Torsten and Danny will make an immediate impact at our
club. Signing Torsten and Danny is a very important step in
building a team that our fans are proud to support."
Frings won 79 caps for Germany, scoring 10 goals, and played
at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and Euro 2008.
He was in the team who lost the 2002 World Cup Final to
Brazil and the Euro 2008 Final to Spain.
He turned down the offer of a coaching role at Werder
Bremen, the Bundesliga club where he spent most of his career
including last season, to extend his playing days with a move to
the MLS.
Koevermans, who had spells at Sparta Rotterdam, AZ Alkmaar
and most recently PSV Eindhoven, has won four Netherlands caps.
Financial terms of the deals were not disclosed with the
club saying simply that the players had signed "multi-year"
contracts.
MLS clubs are allowed to sign up to three "designated
players" enabling them to bring top international names to the
league such as LA Galaxy's David Beckham.