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AZ has secured a new goalkeeper in Mathew Ryan. The Australian comes over from FC Copenhagen and signs for 1.5 years in Alkmaar.
“You only have to look at the club and its history once to see that AZ is a good and ambitious club,” Ryan said on the AZ website. “There is a lot to play for and I dream of reaching the highest of the highest together with the team.”
This winter, Ryan was still active as captain of his country at the World Cup, in which Australia was eliminated by Argentina in the eighth finals. He also played at the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and has 79 caps to his name.
Watch some saves from the new AZ goalkeeper Ryan at the World Cup in Qatar
The 30-year-old keeper also has a wealth of experience in a club context. He played in Europe at Club Brugge, Valencia, KRC Genk, Brighton and briefly at Arsenal and Real Sociedad, before joining Copenhagen in August. He was not a basic player at the Danish top club.
Top candidate
“He has shown at various levels that he is good and was our top candidate from the start,” says Max Huiberts, director of football at AZ. “We were looking for someone who is immediately available when he is fit. He is. Everything fits into the picture in that regard.”
At AZ, which is fifth in the Eredivisie, Hobie Verhulst was under the crossbar in every league match this season. The 29-year-old goalkeeper made a few obvious mistakes. Second goalkeeper Peter Vindahl recently left for the German 1.FC Nürnberg.
AZ will play in the KNVB Cup against Excelsior on Wednesday and will meet Heerenveen in the Eredivisie on Saturday. It is not certain whether Ryan can make his debut in one of those duels, AZ must first obtain a work permit for the keeper.
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