Western Sydney Wanderers manager Carl Robinson insists that the club are “excited” about the return of striker Mitchell Duke following his short stint in Saudi Arabia.
The 30-year-old forward had an excellent run as the captain of the club, scoring 14 goals in 26 A-League appearances for the Parramatta outfit. But following his exploits in Australia, the former Shimizu S-Pulse man decided to ply his trade with Al-Taawoun.
However, the sacking of former boss Vitor Campelos and the arrival of Patrice Carterton upon his move to the Buraidah-based club meant that he started to be played on the wing, particularly during games when a lone man up front was used in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
While still being used sporadically up front in a 4-4-2 formation, the striker failed to find the target Arab club during his short stint with them. Now Duke returns to Western Sydney on a season long loan deal.
Meanwhile, the Wanderers have had trouble up front as Simon Cox, Bernie Ibini, Bruce Kamau and Kwame Yeboah have managed a combined one goal in five matches so far in the A-League.
With Duke adding to the competition for spots coupled with being a proven goalscorer in the competition, Robinson insists that his charges will benefit from the experience that the 30-year-old hitman brings with him.
“We’re excited to welcome Mitch home, he’s obviously a wonderful talent and will be a great addition to the squad,” he said, according to the club’s official website.
“We’re building something special here at the club, Mitch will add to that both on and off the field. His relationship with the playing group and the people of Western Sydney is second to none and I for one am excited for what this squad will produce this season.”
Western Sydney will take on Macarthur FC in Campbelltown on Saturday, but this will be without Duke as he will have to complete mandatory quarantine – owing to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – prior to joining up with the Wanderers.
