The Wellington Phoenix have further bolstered their squad for the upcoming A-League season with the signing of Polish midfielder Michal Kopczynski.
The 26-year old has been unveiled on a season-long loan deal in Wellington today and joins countryman Filip Kurto in Wellington as coach Mark Rudan's roster starts to take shape.
Kopczynski will play a largely defensive midfield role and joins goalkeeper Kurto, English defender Steven Taylor and Australian attackers Mitch Nichols and David Williams as new arrivals at the club.
Kopczynski has played all his football in Poland, spending over a decade in Legia Warsaw's youth system before progressing to the first team and making over 50 top flight appearances.
Five of those were in the European Champions League, including 90 minutes in a 3-3 draw with Real Madrid in 2016, a side boasting superstars Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos, Karim Benzema and recent World Cup winner Raphael Varane.
The Phoenix first-team squad – which now numbers 16 – will shortly depart for a 10-day training camp on Australia's Gold Coast, during which time they'll play a friendly match against fellow A-League side Brisbane Roar.
Rudan's first competitive game in charge will be the FFA Cup Round of 32 tie away at Victorian state league side Bentleigh Greens on Tuesday August 7.
The 2018/19 A-League season starts in mid-October.
Wellington Phoenix squad: Nathan Burns, Liberato Cacace, Tom Doyle, Andrew Durante, Louis Fenton, Dylan Fox, Michal Kopczynski, Roy Krishna, Filip Kurto, Ryan Lowry, Mitch Nichols, Oliver Sail, Sarpreet Singh, Keegan Smith, Steven Taylor, David Williams.