PSV Eindhoven midfielder Atiba Hutchinson is sa国际传媒鈥檚 player of the year, but the Brampton, Ont., native is not quite ready to return home to play his club soccer.
The Canadian Soccer Association named the 29-year-old its male player of the year for a second time on Wednesday. He also won the BMO Canadian Player of the Year award in 2010.
鈥淚鈥檓 very happy with this achievement,鈥� Hutchinson said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really expect it. The last couple of months have gone well for me. I鈥檝e been in good form.鈥�
Hutchinson has two goals in 16 matches this season for PSV, who lead the Dutch first division. He is on the rebound from a difficult 18-month stretch in which he had three knee surgeries.
His contract with PSV expires June 30, but he hopes to play another two or three years in Europe, preferably in England, before ending his career in Major League Soccer.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to have another contract here in Europe and then see what happens,鈥� said Hutchinson, who reportedly turned down an offer to stay at PSV.
鈥淏ut I鈥檇 definitely like to experience the MLS league and play somewhere in sa国际传媒 with one of the teams [Vancouver, Toronto or Montreal].鈥�
He said even an offer of designated player status, which pays more than the MLS maximum salary, would not tempt him to come back right away.
鈥淎t this precise moment right now I don鈥檛 think I would,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檇 still like to see if I could go to a higher league here in Europe.
鈥淓ngland would be a dream come true for me. So I still have thoughts on staying here for another couple of years, and after that, we鈥檒l see what comes up from any of the MLS teams, especially in sa国际传媒. It鈥檚 definitely a thought of mine to finish off playing in sa国际传媒.鈥�
There has been rumour of interest from English clubs Stoke City and Fulham. Hutchinson hopes to play in the best league possible, like England, Germany or Spain.
The lanky, six-foot-two Hutchinson started his pro career with Toronto in the defunct A-League before moving to Oster in Sweden in 2004. After a stop at Helsingborg in Sweden, he played for FC Copenhagen in Denmark from 2006 to 2010 and was named Danish Super Liga player of the year in his final season.
He signed a three-year contract with PSV on April 22, 2010.
鈥淭he level is definitely higher,鈥� he said of the Dutch league. 鈥淚n Denmark, it鈥檚 a good passing game but it鈥檚 a little more direct.鈥�
