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TORONTO -- There was considerable buzz around Julian de Guzman when Toronto FC signed him to a lucrative contract almost three years ago. Tom Brady Womens Jersey. A local talent who made a name for himself in one of the top leagues in Europe, he was counted on to be a catalyst for turning the young Major League Soccer club into a playoff contender. Those plans came to an official end on Friday as de Guzman was traded to FC Dallas, capping an inconsistent tenure for his hometown club. TFC received forward Andrew Wiedeman in return. "Sometimes you have to do some things for the football club that make the football club better," Toronto FCs head coach and director of soccer operations Paul Mariner said on a conference call Friday. "I feel the fans sometimes are questioning the things that were doing but this really helps us to improve the defensive situation." The move frees up a designated player spot and significant salary-cap space. De Guzman was in the final year of a rich contract that paid him US$1.9 million this season. Mariner said the team is in talks with a few players who could fill the available DP spot and plug some gaps on the teams ailing back line. "This creates significant flexibility for the team moving forward," Mariner said. "Weve been saying for quite some time that we need to strengthen the defensive line and this gives us the ability to do so." The 31-year-old de Guzman originally signed with Toronto FC as the clubs first designated player in September 2009. He showed flashes of skill in Toronto, but had trouble living up to his DP status and big contract. He had two goals and eight assists in 65 league appearances for Toronto. "I know its been tough for him over there," said Patrice Bernier, a central midfielder for the Montreal Impact and de Guzmans teammate on the Canadian national team. "From the get-go when he arrived theres been a label. They expected a lot from him. "Personally I think they didnt really help him out to make sure he was the key element in the structure around him. It was tough for him. "Now hes moving on. I hope for him that at least hell be able to enjoy his football and not live with all the stress that he had in Toronto, and Toronto can move on also, not having the label of a Canadian player thats a DP and they expected something out of it." Mariner said the decision to part with de Guzman came about "very recently." A possible factor in De Guzmans departure is the excellent recent form of midfielders Torsten Frings and Terry Dunfield. De Guzman found himself on the outside looking in as Mariner went to a 4-4-2 system that revolved around Frings and Dunfield in central midfield, with more offensive players on the flank. "Terry Dunfield and Torsten Frings have done everything to a T to what Ive been asking of them," Mariner said. "Its been a little difficult for Julian to get into that (central midfield) spot." Prior to joining Toronto, de Guzman spent time with Hannover 96 of the German Bundesliga and Deportivo La Coruna of the Spanish La Liga. He was the first Canadian to play in La Liga, one of the worlds premier leagues. He thrived with Deportivo, anchoring the Spanish clubs midfield in the 2007-08 season, when he was named the clubs player of the year. He has also earned 56 caps for the Canadian mens national team. De Guzman said earlier this week he had hoped to work out a deal to stay in Toronto before his contract expired in December. "Were in the early stages of talking about it right now," he said Tuesday when asked about his contract status. "Trying to figure out what the best possibility is. Its going to take some time. Hopefully Id like to know, I guess both parties like to know whats going to happen. But I believe we just started talking, so well see what happens." Asked about his preference, he said: "Im happy here, it would be great for me to continue my career here. Well just have to wait and see how both sides feel about it." FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman said de Guzman is a good fit for his teams system. "He will give FC Dallas an additional veteran that can solidify our possession style of play," he said in a statement. "He also has a bit of toughness to him that will help us win 50-50 balls and control the central midfield." De Guzman was travelling with the team on Friday, but Hyndman said he wasnt sure if the paperwork would be ready in time to include him in the lineup for Dallass game in Colorado on Saturday night. Wiedeman, 22, has made eight MLS appearances. He was selected 21st overall in the 2010 SuperDraft. He came up to the MLS through the Generation Adidas program, which encourages early entry of American players into the league. As such, he doesnt count against the salary cap. "Hes an intriguing player," Mariner said. "Hes young. Hes very, very hungry. Hes one of the best finishers Ive seen in the modern era. 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The teams charity, the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, will team with UPMC Sports Medicines nationally-known program for detecting, treating and reducing concussions to test at least 6,000 amateur players. The tests take about a half-hour and normally cost $25 to $40 each.PITTSFORD, N.Y. -- The LPGA will make following players on social media even easier. Caddies will be sporting bibs with Twitter handles on their backs starting with the LPGA Championship at Locust Hill Country Club in June. A youngster who attended a morning clinic Monday at Locust Hill donned a bib with (at)YaniTseng on the back as the worlds No. 1 player looked on with a big smile. Kraig Kann, chief communications officer of the LPGA Tour, says 113 LPGA players have Twitter accounts. Antonio Cromartie Jersey Tseng was at Locust Hill for a news conference as the defending champion. The LPGA Championship has been sponsored by Wegmans Food Markets the past three years. The contract is up after this year, but both sides plan to sit down in late June or early July to work on a new deal. ' ' '