Sydney FC believe Brett Emerton's influence can steer the A-League club into an exciting new era after luring the Socceroos great from the English Premier League on a three-year deal.

Less than a week after Melbourne Victory recruited Harry Kewell, the Sky Blues on Thursday pulled off another huge coup for the league in a move that makes 32-year-old Emerton the first player to swap the EPL for the A-League.

After 11 years abroad, Sydney-born Emerton and his family decided it was time to return to his home and he was allowed out of the final year of his contract with Blackburn.

The signing was met with widespread acclaim on Thursday, with Emerton still at his peak as a player and many suggesting he'd offer more value on the park for Sydney than Kewell would for Melbourne.

Sydney were also in the chase for Kewell's signature but were convinced they had got the right man in Emerton, with chief executive Dirk Melton saying he had the perfect character to lead the club into the future.