Ross County are nearing a deal to sign reigning Isuzu UTE A-League Johnny Warren Medallist Josh Nisbet in an “exciting” move for the Scottish Premiership side.
Nisbet is available on a free transfer after leaving A-Leagues champions Central Coast Mariners at the end of an historic treble-winning season in Australia.
The Subway Socceroos midfielder won the Isuzu UTE A-League Premiership and Championship double as well as the AFC Cup, which was capped off by being crowned the A-League Men’s Player of the Year.
Ross County have drawn their opening two games of the season follows draws against Motherwell and Dundee United.
“It is an exciting time for the football club,” said head coach Don Cowie via the Press and Journal. “I don’t know how long the process takes, but I hope he will be in Scotland next week.
“The sooner the better. It would allow him to get involved with the group and to get used to how we work.
“He had played international football when I spoke to him in June – but he hasn’t played since then.
“We were aware of Josh being out of contract. I had a really positive discussion with him two months ago, but he had a big decision to make in terms of what he wanted to do in the next step of his career.
“Coming into Europe was a big part of it, despite having lots of offers from Asia.
“Our patience has been rewarded and he has decided this is the next stage to take his career to the next level.
“I believe it is a real coup to get him.”
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Seven years on from his Mariners debut, Nisbet departed a “club legend” after winning four trophies – including back-to-back A-Leagues Championships, across 145 appearances.
Nisbet relocated from Queensland to join the Central Coast Mariners’ academy in 2017.
He debuted in an Australia Cup clash with Adelaide United in August 2018, before playing his first A-Leagues match in an F3 Derby with Newcastle Jets in January 2019.
Nisbet’s 145 matches for the Mariners ranks ninth on the club’s all-time list, with 124 of those coming in the A-Leagues.
As a result of his form with the Mariners, Nisbet earned his first Subway Socceroos cap in a FIFA Men’s World Cup qualifier against Lebanon in March.
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“Josh is an all-round midfielder. He can play deep or attacking,” said Cowie. “He can do everything and has a lot of energy.
“Josh isn’t the biggest – but it doesn’t stop him getting stuck in and showing his physicality.
“He is very comfortable on the ball and the fact he has broken into the Australian international squad shows how high a regard he is held.”
Nisbet is set to become the sixth Australian player to sign for Ross County, after former Melbourne Victory youth player Jackson Irvine, Harry Souttar, Alex Robertson, Ashley Maynard-Brewer and Cam Burgess.
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Cowie added: “He will add even more competition and I don’t think there is a lot of harm in that. We are only in August.
“Naturally, you get injuries because that is part of football. I want a competitive squad and to improve what we have done in the last two years.
“When you get an opportunity to sign a very good footballer and an international then it would be almost stupid not to try and do it.
“That is why we are signing him.”
