2018 FIFA World Cup striker Abdiel Arroyo has joined the Newcastle Jets for the Hyundai A-League 2019/20 Season.
Arroyo, who played for Panama at the tournament in Russia last year, is on loan with the Hunter outfit for one season from his parent club Arabe Unido.
Confirmed: @abdielarroyo is a Jet! #MadeOfNewcastle
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— NEWCASTLE JETS FC ✈️ (@NewcastleJetsFC) July 1, 2019
Having lost Irish hitman Roy O’Donovan to Brisbane Roar, the arrival of Arroyo is a major coup and exciting addition to the Jets’ forward line.
“Abdiel is a relatively young player with a lot of pace and potential and we’re excited he’s joining us for the season,” Jets boss Ernie Merrick said on the Jets’ official website.
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“His speed will hold him in good stead in this competition, he has an eye for goal and he’s shown that lately with goals in the Gold Cup.
“He’s still very much in his prime at 25-years-old, and the fact that he’s playing regularly for the national team is another positive indicator of where he’s at.”
Arroyo is a regular in the Panama national team, making 47 international appearances and scoring seven goals since making his debut in 2014.
The most recent of those came in the CONCACAF Gold Cup where he played in each of Panama’s three group stage matches, as well as their defeat to Jamaica in the quarter-finals.
Arroyo has played his club football around the globe, including Uruguay’s Primera División and Costa Rica’s Liga Deportiva Alajuelense.
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After a short holiday following his involvement with Panama at the CONCACAF Gold Cup, Arroyo is set to link up with the Jets squad on Thursday, August 1.
