Western Sydney Wanderers have signed Australia international and former Sydney FC star Alex Gersbach.
The six-time Socceroo joins the Wanderers on a two-and-a-half-year deal as he returns to the Isuzu UTE A-League for the first time since leaving cross-town rivals the Sky Blues for Europe in 2016.
Gersbach arrives in Western Sydney from Swedish outfit Kalmar FF, where the 27-year-old made 20 appearances across all competitions in 2024.
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“Coming back to Sydney right now seems like the best possible scenario for my girlfriend and I. I feel like the timing is right to come back to Australia and the A-Leagues after being away for so long,” said Gersbach.
“Western Sydney is the perfect fit with a coach who knows me, some former teammates, great facilities and a strong fan base.
“I know a lot about the region having grown up in Sydney. I’ve got a lot of family that live in Western Sydney. My father was raised in the Blacktown area and my siblings and I were born in Auburn. I spent a lot of my youth playing football in the region, especially at Valentine Sports Park.
“On a personal level, I’m hoping to find a longer term home where I can play at my peak for a prolonged period of time. I think stability on and off the field is a goal of mine.
“On a team level, I want to contribute to what has been building at the club. The Wanderers belong at the top of the A-Leagues table. It’s still early in the season so there’s no reason why the team can’t be successful this season.”
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The 2017 Harry Kewell Medallist, Gersbach burst onto the scene with Sydney FC before joining Rosenborg, where he won three Norwegian top-flight league titles and three other cup titles.
After a loan stint at French club Lens, Gersbach enjoyed spells at NAC Breda in the Netherlands, Denmark’s AGF, Grenoble in France and MLS outfit Vancouver Whitecaps.
“It’s great to bring Alex back to the A-Leagues to bring an injection of quality and overseas experience to our club,” said head coach Alen Stajcic.
“He has had an excellent career overseas and now is a great opportunity for him to re-establish himself back in our domestic league and contribute to the Wanderers once again becoming a leading club in the country.”