Stevens signs 'talented' Toivonen for PSV
Thursday, January 15, 2009
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Sweden Under-21 striker Ola Toivonen has agreed a €4.5m move from Malmö FF to PSV Eindhoven on a contract until 2012 and coach Huub Stevens called the tall forward "a talented player with a lot of qualities".
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Sweden striker Ola Toivonen believes he can "add something extra" to PSV Eindhoven after agreeing a €4.5m move from Malmö FF.
Under-21 prospect
The 22-year-old has signed a contract running until summer 2012, with the option for a further two seasons, and begins training with PSV on Thursday afternoon. Capped twice at senior level by Sweden and tipped to be a part of the hosts' squad at June's UEFA European Under-21 Championship, the 1.90m-tall forward played for Degerfors IF and Örgryte IS before joining Malmö in 2007 and last year his 14 Allsvenskan goals proved the joint fourth best tally in the league, level with Henrik Larsson.
'Top club'
In joining PSV Toivonen follows in the footsteps of club legend Ralf Edström, who also started his career at Degerfor. "PSV are a top club in a beautiful league," said Toivonen, who will drop out of Sweden's forthcoming trip to California to play the United States and Mexico due to his transfer. "In the Netherlands I will be able to take the next important step in my career. PSV are a team with lots of qualities. I hope I can add something extra, but I am above all a team player."
Stevens praise
Toivonen comes to a club out of the UEFA Champions League and fourth in the Eredivisie, eleven points adrift of leaders AZ Alkmaar as PSV chase an unprecedented fifth straight title. Coach Huub Stevens, whose team play their first league game of 2009 at Roda JC on Sunday, said: "He adds something to our squad. A talented player with a lot of qualities."
