Photo: Mark Avellino
2016 NPL2 Champions Kingston City have completed the deadline day signing of young midfielder Anthony Ianchello from Moreland City.
The 20-year-old becomes the eighth and final signing for manager Nick Tolios this off-season with the central midfielder set to provide plenty of competition for midfield places at The Grange Reserve.
Ianchello made his senior breakthrough in 2015 after making his debut for Brunswick City, becoming one of the shining lights in a disappointing season for the Spartans.
From there onwards he made the short move down Moreland Road by joining Moreland City who at the time were celebrating their 100th anniversary.
A defensive midfielder, he made 23 league appearances over the course of the season and further consolidating his place as one of the league’s most promising young players.
Kingston coach Tolios was delighted with the last-minute acquisition and hopes Ianchello can continue his career progression at a club preparing for their first top-flight campaign in a decade.
“Anthony is an exciting prospect for us. He has been playing senior football in NPL2 for a while and I think has all the attributes to make the next step up”, Tolios said.
“He fits the mould of players we have brought in this year. Young, eager to work hard and with senior games under their belt. Anthony is our final signing for this window and we are extremely happy with how the squad has developed,” he added.
Ianchello joins former Dandenong Thunder teammates Daniel Bennett and Faisal Sakhizada, left-back Nathan Tidmarsh (Bulleen Lions), box-to-box midfielder Chris Irwin (South Melbourne), returning Scottish striker Sean McIlroy (Geelong), experienced goalkeeper Kile Kennedy (Bentleigh Greens) and young winger Erhan Yalaz (Port Melbourne) as new arrivals to Kingston’s playing squad.
City begin their campaign with a derby match-up against local rivals Oakleigh Cannons on the opening night of the NPL season on Thursday week at Jack Edwards Reserve with kick-off scheduled for 8.30.