Gregory van der Wiel’s move to Toronto FC marks a fresh start for the Dutchman.
The 29-year-old, signed last week but officially unveiled as the Reds’ new No. 9 on Monday, is ready to get back to winning ways — which began with Ajax in his native Holland, then in France with Paris Saint-Germain.
There was much less success over the last two years, as van der Wiel struggled during stints with Turkey’s Fenerbahce and Italy’s Cagliari.
The defender said he always wanted to play in Major League Soccer eventually. While he didn’t know much about Toronto, he said he liked the attitude and professionalism he associated with sports on this side of the Atlantic, which he called “way different” than in Europe.