Aberdeen are close to making New Zealand international left-back James McGarry their next summer signing.
The Dons are understood to have agreed a six-figure fee with Australian side Central Coast Mariners to sign the 25-year-old on a permanent deal.
The attack-minded full-back joined Central Coast Mariners from Newcastle Jets in February and is under contract with the Aussie club until June 2025.
He scored three goals from left-back in 14 appearances to help Nick Montgomery’s side to the A League title.
The Mariners finished second in the A League table and 11 points behind Melbourne City but thrashed them 6-1 in the Grand Final to win the championship with former Hibernian and Dundee striker Jason Cummings netting a hat-trick.
‘Brilliant left foot and extremely versatile’
McGarry will compete with Jonny Hayes and Jack MacKenzie for a place on the left-hand side of defence but is also capable of playing in a more advanced role.
He represented New Zealand at the U17 World Cup in 2015 and the U20 World Cup in 2017.
He won his first senior cap for the All Whites in a friendly against Lithuania in November 2019.
His international appearances have been restricted to one cap with New Zealand’s star player, Liberato Cacace of Italian Serie A side Empoli, currently occupying the left-back slot.
McGarry, who had trials with Chelsea and Sheffield United as a youngster, began his senior career with Wellington Phoenix.
He moved to the Netherlands in 2018, joining Willem II before returning to Wellington Phoenix at the end of his two-year deal with the Dutch side.
He joined Newcastle Jets last summer before leaving the club earlier this year in a player swap deal with Thomas Aquilina heading in the opposite direction.
McGarry is described by Mariners head coach Montgomery as a player “with a brilliant left foot and extremely versatile with the ability to play as a full-back, winger or in midfield”.
He would become Aberdeen’s ninth summer signing following the arrival of Nicky Devlin, Leighton Clarkson, Ester Sokler, Graeme Shinnie, Rhys Williams, Ross Doohan, Or Dadia and Slobodan Rubezic.
Serbian central defender Rubezic became Aberdeen’s latest signing when he arrived from Serbian SuperLiga club FK Novi Pazar on a three-year deal on Monday.
Aberdeen begin their 2023-24 Scottish Premiership campaign this Saturday with a trip to Livingston.
