Melbourne City snap up Richard Windbichler as club favourite weighs up rival offers

Melbourne City has added an Austrian centre back with Asian Champions League experience to its line-up for next season.

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Austrian defender Richard Windbichler admitted falling in love with Melbourne during an Asian Champions League visit and Melbourne City hopes he is the linchpin that delivers a maiden passage into Asia’s top competition.

City has turned to the former Austrian youth international to lead its defence from 2019-20 after signing a two-year deal.

Windbichler’s arrival all but confirms the departure of Dutch defender Bart Schenkeveld, who has had lucrative offers from rival A-League clubs.

The salary cap again appears to have contributed to the player churn, with City hamstrung in their attempts to keep the club favourite.

Richard Windbichler (right) got as taste of Australian conditions playing for Ulsan Hyundai against Melbourne Victory in the Asian Champions League. Picture: Getty Images

Windbichler, 28, played for Austrian clubs Admira Wacker and FK Austria before moving to South Korean giants Ulsan Hyundai, where he won the FA Cup and was named in the 2018 K-League 1 team of the season.

He most recently had a brief stint with Danish second-tier side Viborg.

“I spent the last two years in South Korea where we had a (Champions League) game in Melbourne (against Victory) and since the moment I stepped foot in this city I was in love,” Windbichler said.

“I’m very excited to be joining Melbourne City. I like challenges and experiences. I want to make my footprint in Australia. I’m a centre back who likes to ask for the ball and play with the ball at my feet. I would say that the (attacking) build-up is one of my greatest strengths, as well as the defensive one-on-ones.

“Melbourne City is an ambitious club that wants to compete for trophies and that is my goal too and in the best-case scenario we become champions.”