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TORONTO - Toronto FC traded Canadian international midfielder Julian de Guzman to fellow Major League Soccer club FC Dallas for forward Andrew Wiedeman, the team announced Friday, continuing its overhaul with the start of the CONCACAF Champions League less than three weeks away.
De Guzman's transfer follows the mutual termination of Nick Sooslma's contract and the six-month loan of Ecuadorean forward Joao Plata to LDU Quito announced earlier this week, and the replacement of manager Aron Winter with Paul Mariner in June.
Toronto, the reigning four-time Canadian champion, beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-2 on Wednesday for only its fifth win in 24 matches since defeating the LA Galaxy in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals in March. It has the worst record in the 19-team MLS with three wins, four draws and 11 losses.
The 31-year-old De Guzman was acquired by Toronto in 2009 as the club's first "designated player" after competing four seasons with Spanish first-division side Deportivo La Coruna. Under MLS rules, clubs may sign up to three players outside the league's salary cap restrictions.
German midfielder Torsten Frings and Dutch forward Danny Koevermans are Toronto's other designated players.
De Guzman had two goals in 65 league games with Toronto. He scored one goal in 18 Champions League games over the past two seasons.
"Losing someone like Julian is never easy but this deal gives us increased flexibility to address areas where we have more pressing needs and opens up a designated player spot for our club," Mariner said in a release by the club.
Wiedeman, 22, is in his third season with Dallas, having played eight games with no goals. He played in three games in last season's Champions League without scoring. Dallas has the second-worst record in MLS, with 16 points, three more than Toronto.
Toronto will begin this season's Champions League on August 1 at home against Aguila of El Salvador.
