Jonathan De Guzman, centre, has signed with Spain's Real Mallorca. (MICHELE LIMINA/AFP/Getty Images)

Canadian-born midfielder Jonathan de Guzman signed a three-year contract with Real Mallorca, the Spanish club announced Tuesday.

De Guzman, a 22-year-old native of Scarborough, Ont., made the move following a free transfer from Dutch club Feyenoord.

"I am very happy and proud to be here at Mallorca — I have thought a lot about this moment," de Guzman told the club's official website.

Mallorca is currently barred from competing in this year's UEFA Europa League tournament because of its massive debt (believed to be more than $80 million). Despite the ban, de Guzman is looking forward to plying his trade in Spain where his older brother Julian, currently a member of Toronto FC, played for five years with Deportivo la Coruna.

"I have a great interest in the Spanish league and the most important thing is the faith the club has shown in me," said de Guzman.

"I have spoken a lot to [Mallorca owner Llorenc] Serra Ferrer and [coach Michael] Laudrup and the most important thing is the faith they have shown in me, not the Europa League."

Serra Ferrer believes the midfielder will be a great addition to his squad.

"He is a young footballer who is technically gifted, versatile, capable of adapting to any position in midfield and he gets into good finishing positions," said the Mallorca owner.

"He will adapt to our culture and I have no doubt he will be a success here."

De Guzman moved to the Netherlands as a 12-year-old and played for Feyenoord's youth team before graduating to the senior side, where he scored 23 goals in 109 appearances in the Dutch first division.

The Canadian was once billed as one of the most promising young players in Europe with several teams, including Chelsea and Manchester City, looking to pry him away from Feyenoord. But he has been plagued by knee injuries for the past two seasons, spoiling any chance of a move to a big Premiership club.

In 2008, de Guzman broke the hearts of long-suffering Canadian soccer fans when he officially acquired Dutch citizenship and declared he would not represent Canada, but instead was committing to play for the Netherlands in international competition.

De Guzman made his international debut for the Netherlands' under-21 squad later that year but he has yet to earn a single cap for the Dutch senior team, which means he is technically still available to play for Canada, should he change his mind.