Sydney FC have bolstered their attacking stocks for next season with the signing of former West Ham and Hull City forward Richard Garcia.
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Garcia looked set to join Newcastle Jets but will instead be playing at Moore Park next season after signing a one-year deal with the Sky Blues. The 31 year-old had been on the look-out for a new club since leaving Melbourne Heart at the end of last season after failing to reach an agreement over a contract extension. He said that the ability to work with Sydney's big-name players swayed him to join the club.
“I'm thrilled to be joining Sydney FC,” Garcia said. “Sydney FC is a big club with big expectations and that's something I thrive on. To be playing alongside players like Alessandro Del Piero, Brett Emerton and Nick Carle will be a fantastic experience for me and something I'm very much looking forward to. I can't wait to start pre season training with the team and I look forward to working hard with the rest of the boys to win a spot and then helping Sydney FC push for success this season.”
Sydney FC coach Frank Farina pursued Garcia to add some extra experience to their forward line after releasing Joel Griffiths during the pre-season.
“Richie is a leader and a winner on and off the pitch and they are important ingredients when looking at who we bring to Sydney FC. He can play as a striker or a midfielder and I think he will suit our style of game just perfectly," Farina said.
Garcia played 114 games for Hull City, including two seasons in the Premier League as well as stints at West Ham and Colchester and was part of the Socceroos squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.