Perth Glory is delighted to confirm that Spanish midfielder Juan de Dios Prados Lopez, known as ‘Juande’, [pronounced ‘Wan-day’] has signed a two-year deal with the club.
The 31-year-old came through the youth system at Real Betis and made his La Liga debut against Real Madrid in February 2007.
He then scored his first senior goal in the following season during a 3-1 away win at Atletico Madrid and was strongly linked at that time with a move to Liverpool.
After four years with Betis, the former Spain Under-21 international headed to Belgium where he spent a season with Westerlo, before returning to Spain and joining second tier side, Ponferradina.
In 2014, Juande again headed abroad, this time to Italy and Serie B side Spezia for whom he duly chalked up nearly 60 appearances over the course of three seasons.
Having showcased his talents in several European competitions, the man from Alicante is confident that he can succeed in the Hyundai A-League.
“I haven’t seen many A-League games,” he admitted, “but it doesn’t matter if it’s a tough physical league like Serie B in Italy or more technical like the leagues in Spain, I can adapt my game to both styles.
“I like to play for the team and try to bring a balance to the centre of midfield.
“I spoke to many other Spanish players who have played in the A-League and they all spoke very highly of it, so it was an easy decision to make.
“Now I’m here, I can see that the atmosphere is really good and my teammates and the staff are very good people.
“I’m really happy to be here.”
In terms of what to expect from the new recruit, meanwhile, Glory Football Director Jacob Burns feels that he brings plenty to the table.
“Juande has everything you want from a central midfielder,” he said.
“He has a great passing range, can operate as a playmaker and also go box-to-box and I’m sure he’ll prove to be another excellent addition to the squad.”
#OneGlory
