The former winger of Manchester United and the Portuguese national team, Luis Nani, joined the Australian Football League in order to defend the colors of Melbourne Victory, in a deal considered the most important in years for the “A League” league.
The 35-year-old signed a two-year contract with the Australian team from Italy’s Venezia, which was relegated at the end of last season to the Second Division.
Nani was linked to Venezia until the end of the 2022-2023 season, but after the team’s relegation to the second division, the two parties terminated the contract by mutual consent.
“We are proud to have succeeded in bringing a player like Nani to our club and believe he will be a fantastic additional value for Melbourne Victory and the entire A-League,” Melbourne Victory coach Tony Popovich said in a statement on Tuesday.
He continued, “He has had a wonderfully successful career at club and international level and we believe that his quality and experience will play a very influential role in achieving our ambitions this season.”
Nani, who played 112 games with Portugal and won the English Premier League four times with Manchester United after defending the colors of the “Red Devils” from 2007 to 2015 before moving between Turkish Fenerbahce, Valencia, Spain, Lazio, Sporting Portugal, Orlando City and Venezia, will be the biggest name to reach the Australian League. “A League” since the Italian Alessandro Del Piero in 2012.
“I am excited to come to the Australian League with the Melbourne Victory and look forward to the challenge that awaits us,” said Nani, who won the European Cup with Portugal in 2016.
Melbourne Victory meets Manchester United in a friendly match on Friday as part of the English team’s pre-season tour in Asia and Australia, but it is not expected that Nani will be available to meet his former team.