Biggest since Del Piero: Sydney FC sign former Bayern Munich, Juventus star

Sydney FC coach Ufuk Talay is confident his club and the A-League can help former Brazilian international Douglas Costa rediscover his love for football after confirming one of the biggest recruitment coups in Australian football history.

Costa has signed a two-year marquee contract and will arrive in the country on Saturday, giving the 33-year-old just under three weeks to get up to speed for a likely debut in the AFC Champions League 2 next month.

Douglas Costa celebrates with Cristiano Ronaldo during his time at Juventus.Credit: Getty

The former Bayern Munich and Juventus winger, who played 31 times for Brazil and featured at the 2018 World Cup, will provide a huge and unexpected big-name boost to the A-League – but the question with all such marquee recruits is whether he still resembles the player he was back when he made his name.

Costa has struggled to make an impact at his previous two clubs, US Major League Soccer outfit Los Angeles Galaxy and Brazilian club Fluminense. Galaxy suffered their worst ever season in Costa’s second year there and he subsequently moved to Fluminense, where he played 22 games – mostly as a substitute – providing just one assist and no goals.

Talay said the Sky Blues had “done our research” on Costa and that there was more to the story when it comes to his torrid return to Brazil.

“It’s not easy when you’ve had the career that you’ve had, to go back home and then back it up – and especially playing at a massive club as well,” Talay said on Monday.

Douglas Costa was recently released from his contract at Fluminense.Credit: Getty

“The main part is – especially for those guys that have achieved so much in the game – that they enjoy their football. And I believe that he wasn’t enjoying his football in Brazil at his last club, so that gave us the opportunity to step in.”

Sydney FC has a strong track record with marquee players, all of whom – from Dwight Yorke to Alessandro Del Piero to Milos Ninkovic – have made solid contributions on the field to match their off-field pulling power. And Costa, who has more than 6 million followers on Instagram, should bring plenty of that – particularly when it comes to Sydney’s growing Brazilian population, which lives largely within the Sky Blues’ eastern suburbs catchment area.

Sydney FC midfielder Alex Baumjohann hopes the club keeps hold of teammate Milos Ninkovic. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

“We still believe that he’s at a great age, and the discussions that we’ve had, he’s actually very excited to get over here, which I think is a fantastic positive for us,” Talay said. “These type of players, it’s very important that we keep them fit, and we keep them happy and let them do their thing on the park.”

Costa is easily Sydney FC’s highest-profile signing since Alessandro Del Piero in 2012, his signing bucking a league-wide trend of austerity after the reduction of annual distributions from head office to just $530,000 plunged clubs into financial turmoil.

“I have been part of some incredible teams throughout my career, winning many titles and I have come to Sydney FC to win more,” Costa said in a statement. “Football is in my blood and I arrive in Australia to raise the game in this country, entertain the passionate sporting public and bring silverware to Sydney FC. I’m excited to get to know the people, the country and seeing all the fans of every club.”

The Sky Blues have shown a sharper interest in Brazilian talent of late, largely due to the well-connected former midfielder Alexander Baumjohann, who is now their director of player management and who helped orchestrate the move for Costa. Baumjohann once played in Brazil and helped clinch the signature of Sena, the former Italian Serie A midfielder whose career was derailed by legal issues related to a bout of COVID-19, but who looms as a possible bargain bye for the Sky Blues.

“Alex has done a lot of work to get these players over the line,” Talay said. “It’s not just Brazil that we look at. He looks at all over the world, and he’s got a lot of contacts through the time that he was a player. Some of these guys that he’s played with are now in football director roles, and that helps, or are agents. The biggest thing in football is networking, and Alex has got a lot of contacts. That helps us.”

Costa is Sydney FC’s fourth import signing for the new season, joining star winger Joe Lolley and recent recruits Anas Ouahim and Leo Sena, leaving them with the opportunity to bring in one more foreigner. Talay said they were still looking for another striker and centre-back to bolster their squad.

The Sky Blues will play two matches in the ACL 2, against Eastern FC (September 19, home) and Kaya–Iloilo (October 3, away) before their A-League Men season kicks off on October 19 with an away derby against the Western Sydney Wanderers.

From Del Piero to Sturridge: Highs and lows of A-League’s marquee stars

One of the A-League’s biggest signing coups was confirmed on Monday morning, with Sydney FC securing the signature of former Juventus and Bayern Munich ace Douglas Costa for the next two seasons.

The 33-year-old joins the Sky Blues after being released from his contract at Brazilian club Fluminese, which came following stints at LA Galaxy and boyhood club Gremio.

Douglas Costa (left) with former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo at Italian giants Juventus.Credit: Getty Images

Costa, who has 31 international caps for Brazil, is the latest in a long line of high-profile marquee stars lured to the A-League since its establishment. Some have helped their sides to domestic and continental success, while others have flopped in spectacular fashion.

We look back at 10 of the biggest marquee players to have arrived on Australian soil, and how their A-League careers panned out.

Dwight Yorke (2005-2006)

Dwight Yorke (right) during his days with Sydney FC, pictured with then coach Pierre Littbarski.Credit: AP

Dwight Yorke, a Champions League winner with Manchester United, arrived in Australia as Sydney FC’s marquee player for the inaugural 2005/06 season. The striker scored eight goals in 24 appearances during his one season in Sydney, and led the Sky Blues to victory in the first A-League grand final.

Mario Jardel (2007-2008)

The Brazilian forward signed with the Newcastle Jets for the 2007/08 season, seven years after a prolific stint at Portuguese giants Porto in which he scored 129 goals in 125 appearances. However, Jardel was well past his peak when he arrived in the Hunter – and played like it: he didn’t score once in his 11 appearances for the club, and failed to make a mark in the competition.

Robbie Fowler (2009-2011)

The Liverpool legend signed for the short-lived North Queensland Fury ahead of their debut in the 2009/10 A-League season, netting nine goals in 26 appearances for a Fury side that just missed out on finals football. He signed for Perth Glory the following season, where he continued as a goal-scoring threat in the twilight of his career.

Alessandro Del Piero (2012-2014)

Alessandro Del PieroCredit: Brendan Esposito

By far the A-League’s biggest coup. Sydney FC secured Del Piero’s signature in 2012, straight from a glittering 19-year career with Juventus. Del Piero’s wizardry wowed crowds across his two seasons in the A-League, which represented a golden era for marquee talent. He was farewelled during the A-League All Stars match against Juventus in 2014.

Emile Heskey (2012-2014)

The former Liverpool and England striker signed with the Jets in the same period that Sydney landed Del Piero. Heskey arrived in Newcastle after three difficult seasons at Aston Villa, having been convinced to move Down Under following a sales pitch from former Anfield teammate Fowler. He scored nine goals in his first A-League season, but was somewhat overshadowed by the fanfare surrounding other marquee stars.

Shinji Ono (2012-2014)

Sebastian CostanzoCredit: Photographic

While Sydney lured Del Piero and Newcastle signed Heskey, the Western Sydney Wanderers landed Japanese maestro Shinji Ono. The veteran forward signed on a two-year deal in 2012 ahead of their debut season. Ono played a key part in the Wanderers’ initial success, which set the side up for the unlikeliest of victories in the 2014 Asian Champions League.

Harry Kewell (2011-12; 2013-14)

The Socceroos great made his homecoming with Melbourne Victory in 2011, almost two decades after leaving Australia seeking footballing fame and fortune. The former Liverpool attacker was a regular goalscorer in a struggling Victory side, but swapped Melbourne for the Middle East after one season before signing for Melbourne Heart (now City) for the 2013/14 season.

William Gallas (2013-2014)

Former Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham defender was very much in the twilight of his career when he signed with Perth Glory in 2013. The most memorable moment of his 15-game A-League career came in the form of a comical air kick inside his own box which gifted the Wanderers a goal.

Tim Cahill (2016-2017)

Another Socceroos legend, Cahill made a much-anticipated homecoming with Melbourne City in 2016, scoring a miraculous long-range volley on debut to help his side to a 4-1 win in a derby against Victory. Cahill scored a textbook header in City’s 1-0 victory against Sydney FC in the 2016 FFA Cup final (now Australia Cup), which was the club’s first piece of silverware. He left City seeking more game time ahead of the 2018 World Cup.

Daniel Sturridge (2021-2022)

The former Chelsea and Liverpool striker arrived at Perth Glory with high hopes ahead of the 2021/22 season, but made just six appearances and failed to score a single goal in his one season at the club. Released by incoming manager Ruben Zadkovic and has not played since. Now works as a pundit.

Daniel Lo Surdo

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