Djurgården raid Viking for Kuivasto
Friday, July 4, 2003
Article summary
Djurgårdens IF have signed the Finnish international defender Toni Kuivasto from Norway's Viking FK.
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Welcome addition
Kuivasto has put pen to paper on a three-and-a-half year contract after the clubs agreed a €200,000 fee for the centre-back. Djurgården coach Søren Åkeby said the signing would strengthen his team: "He is definitely one for the first team - he is very good in one-on-one situations, strong in the air, and will definitely add something to the squad."
'We had to sell'
Djurgården, the current Allsvenskan leaders, will face Serbo-Montenegrin champions FK Partizan in the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round. Kuivasto, 27, would have been out of contract at the end of the Norwegian season, and Viking director Bjarne Berntsen said: "The reason we had to sell was that he not willing to extend his contract."
Viking target
Viking have earmarked Bryne FK's Marcus Andreasson as a possible replacement for Kuivasto, who previously played for Finnish sides FC Ilves, Tampere United, Myllykosken Pallo-47 and HJK Helsinki.
