Sydney FC have brought in the former Iran international Reza Ghoochannejhad on a loan deal until the end of the A-League campaign.
The 31-year-old will be available for the rest of the league campaign as well as their Asian Champions League group matches.
Ghoochannejhad has been signed from Cyprus side APOEL where he has scored two goals in 15 games this season. The attacker scored 17 goals in 44 games for Iran before retiring from international duty last year.
Ghoochannejhad, who emigrated with his family to the Netherlands as a youngster, started his career with SC Heerenveen in 2005. He's since played for Standard Liege in Belgium and Charlton Athletic in England, as well as having loan spells with two Kuwait teams.
His second spell with Heerenveen, which ended last year, yielded 27 goals in 67 games and Sydney FC will be hoping he can provide that kind of goal threat in the A-League.
Coach Steve Corica said of Ghoochannejhad: "Reza is an exciting and attacking striker who will score goals and give us a different option up front.
"The fact that he qualifies as an Asian player under the AFC Champions League three-plus-one ruling is going to be a huge benefit for us and vital to our challenge for the trophy. We've had our eye on him for a while and, when the opportunity came up to sign him, we didn't hesitate."
The Sky Blues are third in the A-League, five points behind leaders Perth Glory. Their premiership challenge will be hampered by the fact that they start their Group H campaign in the Asian Champions League next month.
Corica's side will face Kawasaki Frontale, Shanghai SIPG and a play-off winner.
Sydney FC are 10/3 to win the Grand Final and 1/1 to win their next game against Melbourne City, who are 11/4 with the draw 12/5.
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Sydney FC have brought in the former Iran international Reza Ghoochannejhad on a loan deal until the end of the A-League campaign.
The 31-year-old will be available for the rest of the league campaign as well as their Asian Champions League group matches.
Ghoochannejhad has been signed from Cyprus side APOEL where he has scored two goals in 15 games this season. The attacker scored 17 goals in 44 games for Iran before retiring from international duty last year.
Ghoochannejhad, who emigrated with his family to the Netherlands as a youngster, started his career with SC Heerenveen in 2005. He's since played for Standard Liege in Belgium and Charlton Athletic in England, as well as having loan spells with two Kuwait teams.
His second spell with Heerenveen, which ended last year, yielded 27 goals in 67 games and Sydney FC will be hoping he can provide that kind of goal threat in the A-League.
Coach Steve Corica said of Ghoochannejhad: "Reza is an exciting and attacking striker who will score goals and give us a different option up front.
"The fact that he qualifies as an Asian player under the AFC Champions League three-plus-one ruling is going to be a huge benefit for us and vital to our challenge for the trophy. We've had our eye on him for a while and, when the opportunity came up to sign him, we didn't hesitate."
The Sky Blues are third in the A-League, five points behind leaders Perth Glory. Their premiership challenge will be hampered by the fact that they start their Group H campaign in the Asian Champions League next month.
Corica's side will face Kawasaki Frontale, Shanghai SIPG and a play-off winner.
Sydney FC are 10/3 to win the Grand Final and 1/1 to win their next game against Melbourne City, who are 11/4 with the draw 12/5.
Source: bet365.com