The Kansas City Wizards have acquired former Premier League forward Paul Rideout as a discovery player from Major League Soccer. He arrived in Kansas City Jan. 19 and joined the Wizards pre-season training today. “Paul is going to bring a number of things to our team,” said Wizards GM Doug Newman. “In addition to being a seasoned pro, he is the type of player that will excite the fans at Arrowhead with his play, and make life miserable for our opponents.” Rideout, 33, has played professionally since the age of 16, when he made his debut for Swindon Town. He has since played with Notts County, Aston Villa, Southampton and Everton in England, Glasgow Rangers of Scotland, and Bari of the Italian Serie A. He most recently played for the Chong Qing club team in China. “He has played at the highest level of the game in Europe and has an incredible amount of experience,” said Wizards Coach Ron Newman. “He has the kind of talent that can push us over the top for a championship.” Rideout is a former teammate of Wizards midfielder Preki, as the two played together with English club Everton during the 1992-93 season. In five seasons with Everton, Rideout scored 26 goals in 104 games. His best season with Everton was the 1994-95 campaign, when he was the team’s leading scorer with 14 goals in 25 games and headed in the winning goal of the 1995 FA Cup final against Manchester United. “I’m very excited about the opportunity to join the Wizards. I have always fancied playing soccer in the states,” said Rideout. “I’m looking forward to a new challenge with the Wizards.”