3rd Degree


FC Dallas Signs Colombian Juan Carlos Toja

March 1st, 2007 . 7:44 pm . By: Buzz Carrick

FC Dallas has signed Colombian-midfielder Juan Carlos Toja on loan. The 21-year-old, who played on loan with River Plate last year, is still owned by Colombian-side Independiente de Santa Fe. Toja has joined his FCD teammates in Brazil.  This is the third straight season  FCD has signed a young 20′ish player form South America, Ecuadorian forward Roberto Mina in 2005, Argentine defender Marcos Charras in 2006, and now Colombian midfielder Toja in 2007.  Last week both general manager Michael Hitchcock and head coach Steve Morrow credited assistant coach, and fellow Colombian, Oscar Pareja with discovering Toja.
 
“Juan Carlos is an exciting central midfield player who likes to get involved in the attack,” said Morrow. “He’s a player with huge potential and one that’s already had a lot of experience with the Colombian U-20 team, with Sante Fe, and recently with River Plate in Argentina. We feel he’ll bring a good balance to our midfield.”
 
Toja made his first-team debut with Independiente de Santa Fe as an 18-year old in 2003. After seeing regular playing time with the club, he became a regular on the Colombian U-20 team and was a member of the team that won the 2005 South American Championship. He was also part of the Colombian U-20 team that participated in the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in Holland.  Following the Youth Championships, Toja was signed by Argentina’s River Plate in January 2006. Only a month after signing, he scored in River’s 2-0 Copa Libertadores win over Bolivia’s Oriente Petrolero.
 
When Toja receives his work visa, he will be placed on the roster and FCD will need to make a move to accommodate the player.  By MLS rules, Toja qualifies as a Youth International so in addition to making room for the player on the senior roster, FCD will need a YI slot.  However FCD does not have an open YI slot.    FCD could trade for a YI slot, as they did last year from Colorado; or Toja, or one of the other YI players, could be placed in an open Senior International slot that opened up when Shaka Hislop received his green card.  If FCD is fortunate, Ramon Núñez may have received his own green card by that time and no move to clear a YI slot will be necessary.
 
As previously indicated by Morrow, Toja is a left footed central midfielder who likes at attack into the offensive third.  That makes him a candidate to play the attacking midfielder role in the new FCD formation, or perhaps one of the attacking wing spots.  Toja will almost certainly be competing against Ramon Núñez and Roberto Mina for time in the starting lineup at attacking mid.

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