Western Sydney Wanderers sign ex-Barcelona B player Dimas Delgado

THE Spanish flavour to the Wanderers has intensified after the club signed holding midfielder Dimas Delgado on a one-year deal.

Having played the bulk of his career in the Spanish second-tier, Delgado will join compatriots Andreu in the Western Sydney midfield and new assistant coach Andres Carrasco as part of Tony Popovic’s overhaul of the side in the wake of last season’s dismal A-League campaign.

Aged 32, Delgado played for the Barcelona B side and one season in La Liga with Numancia, but has been playing a tier below for the past five years.

Central midfield was a significant problem for Popovic last season, with both Iacopo La Rocca and Mateo Poljak leaving the club since the end of the campaign.

Delgado’s arrival continues Popovic’s dramatic purge of his squad, and CEO John Tsatsimas acknowledged the scale of it.

“We have had a very big off-season in terms of our recruitment, but we believe that these new additions will have us in a very strong position leading into the coming season,” said Tsatsimas.

“Dimas has played in a top league in Europe his whole career and we know the calibre of player he is and that he can add another dimension to our midfield.”

The player himself will join his teammates on Monday, though is unlikely to be fit to face Brisbane in the FFA Cup on August 11.

“I am very happy with the opportunity and I look forward to getting started with the Wanderers,” said Dimas in a statement.

“It will be a very nice experience for me and my family, I’m going to a great country like Australia and a great city and I will do my best to adapt to the city and the club as quickly as possible.”