The Isuzu UTE A-League off-season is in full swing, with a number of overseas signings exciting fans around the competition.
KEEPUP brings you the key international arrivals from the opening weeks of a busy transfer window in the A-League Men’s.
READ: The complete ins and outs at every ALM club ahead of season 2022-23
Charlie Austin – Brisbane Roar
Length of deal: Multi year
Most recent club: Queens Park Rangers, England
Nationality: English
Position: Striker
Charlie Austin will spearhead Brisbane Roar in 2022-23.
The Roar lacked a focal point last season, but former Premier League striker Austin will add some much-needed firepower to Warren Moon’s side, who finished second from bottom in 2021-22.
“To play abroad is something I’ve always wanted to do and when the opportunity came up to join this club I was looking to explore it,” said Austin, who signed a multi-year contract.
“I met the gaffer Warren in London and he sold me the project of the football club and it was one I was excited about! I want to help the club get back into the top six and on a personal note score as many goals as possible.”
Richard van der Venne
Length of deal: Two years
Arrives from: RKC Waalwijk, Netherlands
Nationality: Netherlands
Position: Attacking midfielder
Richard van der Venne arrives at Melbourne City with the club needing to add significant strength to a midfield missing departed Socceroo Connor Metcalfe.
The Dutch midfielder joins on a two-year deal from RKC Waalwijk, the Dutch Eredivise outfit he helped to a 10th-place finish with five goals and three assists last season.
Van der Venne, who scored away to Dutch giants Ajax last season, was identified by head coach Patrick Kisnorbo as the ‘right player’ and ‘right character’ to fit in at City.
Ryan Williams
Length of deal: Three years
Arrives from: Oxford United, England
Nationality: Australian
Position: Attacking midfielder
Ryan Williams is a Perth local who has spent more than a decade abroad, amassing nearly 250 appearances across the English Championship, League One and League Two.
He now returns home to follow the lead of twin brother Aryn and older brother Rhys who have both represented the club in prior seasons.
Williams is 28 years old. He returns to Perth on a three-year deal.
Twice venturing to Wembley Stadium during his time abroad (once with Portsmouth in the EFL Trophy final against Salford City, once for Rotherham United in a triumphant League One play-off final win over Shrewsbury Town), Williams can operate as a winger or wing-back, and brings extensive experience to a club rebuilding with a core of young talent.
Gabriel Cleur
Length of deal: Three seasons
Arrives from: Virtus Entella, Italy
Nationality: Australian
Position: Right-back
The Wanderers have reclaimed an academy product: 24-year-old Gabriel Cleur, who returns to Australia after a seven-year stint in Italy.
Cleur departed Western Sydney for Virtus Entella in 2015, notching over 50 appearances in Serie B and Serie C and starting the 2017 Coppa Italia Primavera final against Roma Under-19s, losing 3-1 on aggregate.
Cleur had loan stints at Serie C outfits Robur Siena and Alessandria during his time in Italy.
Samuel Silvera
Length of deal: Three seasons
Arrives from: Paços de Ferreira, Portugal
Nationality: Australian
Position: Winger
Samuel Silvera joins Wanderers signing Cleur in returning home in 2022-23, signing for Central Coast Mariners on a three-season deal.
Silvera departed the Mariners in September, 2020 with 21 Isuzu UTE A-League appearances to his name, scoring a maiden ALM goal against Perth Glory in November, 2019.
His move to Paços was followed by loan spells at Liga Pro side Casa Pia and Sanjoanense, before a third loan spell back in the ALM at Newcastle Jets in 2021-22.
Silvera, a former Mariners scholarship player, has committed the next three seasons of his career to the club as the 21-year-old looks to follow the likes of Kye Rowles, Lewis Miller, Alou Kuol and Gianni Stensness in catching the eye of European clubs by putting together an impressive body of work at the Mariners.
Mark Beevers
Length of deal: Two years
Arrives from: Peterborough United
Nationality: English
Position: Central defence
Standing at 193cm, it will be hard to miss the towering Mark Beevers in the heart of Perth Glory’s defence over the duration of his two-year deal with the club.
The 32-year-old has spent 15 years plying his trade in the UK, accruing 557 appearances to date. Beevers has spent the past three years with Peterborough United; he was named in the English League One Team of the Year in 2020-21 as he skippered the club to promotion to the Championship.
Prior to Peterborough, Beevers played 140 games for Sheffield Wednesday. He was loaned to MK Dons and Millwall before joining the latter permanently in 2013. Beevers arrived at Bolton Wanderers in 2016, where was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year for the first time in a promotion season.
He repeated both achievements with Peterborough in 2020-21 after joining the club in 2019.
Yeni N’Gbakoto
Length of deal: One season
Most recent club: Nancy, France
Nationality: French
Position: Winger
Yeni N’Gbakoto arrives Down Under with a footballing CV that boasts 44 youth appearance for France, 31 Championship appearances for Queens Park Rangers and stints at French outfits FC Metz, Guingamp FC, AS Nancy and Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos.
Despite representing France at youth level, N’Gbakoto went on to become a DR Congo international. Born in Croix, France, N’Gbakoto started his junior career at SC Clemenceau, going on to make 185 appearances and score 44 goals at Metz from 2009.
This season marks N’Gbakoto’s first club experience outside of Europe.
