Perth Glory have confirmed the loan signing of 25-year-old Socceroo Mitch Nichols from J-League club Cerezo Osaka for the upcoming Hyundai A-League season.
Perth Glory have confirmed the loan signing of 25-year-old Socceroo Mitch Nichols from J-League club Cerezo Osaka for the duration of the 2014-15 Hyundai A-League season. The club also having an option to sign the attacking midfield player on a permanent basis.
Queensland born Nichols, who made his A-League debut for Brisbane Roar in 2007, has made 137 A-League appearances and scored 26 goals. At Brisbane Roar, Nichols played 125 games over 6 seasons, scored 24 goals and won 2 A-League championships, including one of those titles coming against Glory in the 2012 Grand Final.
Over that period Nichols established himself as one of the most creative and attacking of midfielders, and became a key member of the Ange Postecoglou coached team that went on to achieve an all-time Australian record of 36-games without a loss.
In May 2013 Nichols signed a two-year deal with Melbourne Victory and went on to play 14 games for them in the 2013-14 season, scoring three goals before joining J-League side, Cerezo Osaka in the January 2014 transfer window. Nichols has made 10 appearances for the Japanese club in 2014 including four AFC Champions League matches.
Nichols has represented Australia at U-20 and U-23 levels and scored two goals. He made his debut for the Socceroos against Kuwait in 2009 in an AFC Asian Cup qualifying game.
“I-m really looking forward to returning to the A-League, playing under Kenny Lowe and joining up with the team he has assembled at Perth. I had options to stay in Japan and even go to Europe on loan, however I wanted to come back to the A-League. I-m excited at what is happening at Perth Glory both on and off the field and at what I think we can, as a team achieve this season.” Nichols said.
“The players that Kenny has attracted to the club during the off season really shows intent and demonstrates the ambitions that the club has” he added.
Nichols flew out of Japan on Thursday night and will join up with his Perth Glory teammates for pre-season training next week.
“Mitch is a very exciting and accomplished A-League player and someone we-re obviously very pleased to have been able to bring into the squad.” Perth Glory Head Coach Kenny Lowe said.
“He-s won championships, he has a winning mentality and I believe he will fit in really well with the squad we-ve assembled. He-ll be in Perth very soon and with that we‘ll then have the next 4 months of pre-season, all together, getting prepared for the A-League season” Lowe added.
Mitch Nichols joins recent signings Andy Keogh, Ruben Zadkovich, Diogo Ferreira, Dino Djulbic and Youssouf Hersi as Head Coach’s Kenny Lowe’s new player signings for the Club during the 2014/15 A-League off season.
Player Profile:
Full Name: Mitchell Ian Nicholls
Place of Birth: Southport, Queensland
Height: 1.81m
Weight: 75kg
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Previous Clubs:
Brisbane Roar
Melbourne Victory
Cerezo Osaka (J-League)
Australian National Team:
U20 (22 appearances 11 goals)
U23 (5 appearances 2 goals)
Socceroos (4 appearances)
Current Hyundai A-League Contracted Squad for Season 2014/15:
Andy Keogh, Dino Djulbic, Ruben Zadkovich, Youssouf Hersi, Mitch Nichols, Diogo Ferreira, Daniel De Silva, Jack Clisby, Brandon O’Neill, Danny Vukovic, Rostyn Griffiths, Michael Thwaite, Cameron Edwards, Nebojsa Marinkovich, Jamie Maclaren, Sidnei Sciola Moreas, Chris Harold, Josh Risdon, Scott Jamieson, Matthew Davies, Riley Woodcock, Harry O’Brien, Jack Duncan.
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