Former £3.5m Celtic striker with 28 appearances completes move to A League club
The former Polish U21 international is hoping to make a name for himself in Australia
Former Celtic forward Patryk Klimala has completed a move to join Australian side Sydney FC on a season-long loan deal which includes an option to buy at the end of the season.
The 10-time Poland U21 international joined Celtic for a reported fee of around £3.5m in January 2020 after a productive spell with Jagiellonia Białystok which had seen him score seven goals in his opening 17 games.
However, the young forward never really found his feet at Parkhead and struggled to make an impact. Over the course of 18 months and 28 appearances, he registered just three goals and one assist and struggled to adapt to the physicality of Premiership football.
Klimala left Celtic in 2021 to complete a move to New York Red Bulls and began to show signs of promise with 13 goals in 57 matches across two seasons before a brief and disappointing spell in Israel with Hapoel Be’er Sheva.
The 26-year-old spent last season in the Polish capital with Śląsk Wrocław but after just 11 games was frozen out of the first team squad and forced to train with the reserve team.
Klimala will hope to get his career back on track in Australia and has notable been handed the club’s iconic number nine shirt.
Speaking about his excitement to experience life down under, Klimala told the Sydney FC website: “I’m thrilled to be joining Sydney FC at an extremely exciting time for the club and for the A-League.
“I’ve heard a lot about the passion for football in Australia, and I’m excited by Sydney FC’s playing style which suits my game, as well as our Asian Champions League campaign. I understand Sydney FC has a rich history of winning trophies, and I’m eager to contribute and create a legacy. In short, I can’t wait to experience life down under.”
The move sees him link up with 31-time Brazil international Douglas Costa and former Nottingham Forest winger Joe Lolley.
Sydney FC finished fourth in the A League last season and are now targeting their first league title since 2020.