Competition for the starting goalkeeper berth is set to become red hot at Perth Glory next season after the A-League club signed former Socceroo Brad Jones for the next two years.
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The former Liverpool and Feyenoord goalkeeper returns home after a successful career in Europe and Asia, winning three trophies apiece in England, Holland and Saudi Arabia.
The six times-capped Socceroo was most recently on the books of Saudi powerhouse club Al-Nassr, for whom he made 24 appearances and kept five clean sheets last season.
The 39-year-old will battle it out with Liam Reddy for the starting goalkeeper berth at Perth next season.
"I grew up in Perth and was a Glory fan in the inaugural years of the club," Jones said.
"The opportunity presented itself to come home and to play in front of my family is a huge pull.
"I think there's a good young group at Perth who will have learned a lot from last season which will stand them in good stead for the coming years and hopefully my experience will help with their development.
"I'm very ambitious and I want us to be at the top challenging."
Glory coach Richard Garcia believes the 193cm Jones will prove to be a key figure on and off the field.
"I've known Brad a long, long time and we went to the UK at similar times," Garcia said.
"He's had a fantastic career overseas and is looking to come back and do even better for his hometown club where he will not only help grow the environment but help bring through the next generation."
Originally from Armadale, Jones made his senior breakthrough at Middlesbrough where he spent a total of nine seasons and was a part of the squad that claimed the League Cup in 2004.
He moved from the Riverside to Liverpool in 2010 and was involved in another League Cup success with the Reds two years later.
More silverware arrived following Jones' move to Holland where he was a key figure in Feyenoord's first Eredivisie title win for 18 years in 2017 and also helped the Rotterdam club claim the KNVB Cup a year later.
During his first season in Saudi Arabia, he enjoyed a Saudi Professional League title win with Al-Nassr, which was followed by two Saudi Super Cups.
Jones featured for the Olyroos at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, made his senior Socceroos debut against Uruguay three years later and was part of Australia's squad at both the 2010 and 2018 World Cups.
Australian Associated Press
