Table topping Sydney FC have signed experienced Dutch defender Jordy Buijs until the end of the season.
The 28-year old has made more than 200 appearances in the Dutch Eredivisie and is a ball-playing central defender, known for his deadly set pieces.
Buijs played for Dutch clubs Feyenoord, De Graafschap, NAC Breda and SC Heerenveen and became a fan favourite at a number of them.
Coach Graham Arnold said Buijs would add experience and quality to the Sky Blues’ defensive stocks.
“We look forward to Jordy coming over to Australia and helping to continue our undefeated start to the season,” he said.
“He comes with a very strong pedigree of over 200 games in the top-flight Eredivisie in Holland.
“He is a free kick specialist and like our other four foreign players we expect him to improve our squad enormously.
“He was unfortunate that his last club in Romania went bankrupt last month, but it means he comes to us fit and ready to play. He has a good reputation and comes highly recommended from our Dutch network of contacts.”
Buijs will arrive and start training the club early next week.
Meanwhile, fans from St George and Sutherland Shire who were thinking about attending the Sydney Derby between the Sky Blues and the Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday night but haven’t bought tickets can forget about it.
The match has officially sold out as the undefeated Sky Blues head into the clash having not tasted defeat in the derby for three years. Another crowd of more than 40,000 is expected to filter through the Allianz Stadium turnstiles for the encounter.
Beyond the halfway mark for the season, Sydney FC sit top of the table having recorded 11 wins, three draws and no defeats, and have dropped points only twice at Allianz Stadium so far.
Sydney FC chief executive officer Tony Pignata expressed his joy at selling out the encounter yet again and said he was looking forward to Saturday’s home derby.
“It’s fantastic to see the match to sell out for a sixth consecutive occasion,” he said.
“The Sydney Derby is the biggest game in town and one of the most eagerly anticipated contests on Australia’s sporting map and the atmosphere it generates is the best at any sports event in the country.
“It’s going to be another fabulous occasion for football in this country and goes to prove our club and our game can rival any in Australian sport.
“I’m excited for kick off on Saturday and for Sydney to be Sky Blue again come full time.”
Meanwhile, Sydney FC will bring their summer holiday clinics back to the St George and Sutherland areas this month.
The Sky Blues will head to Sutherland between January 18 and 20 and Rockdale from January 23 to 25.
Details: sydneyfc.com/community