NSW Premier League team Sydney Olympic have pulled off a transfer coup by signing veteran Greek international Sotirios Kyriakos.

The 34-year-old, who appeared 61 times for Greece as well as clubs including Rangers, Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool, will play two games for Olympic - the first on March 23 at Belmore Sports Ground against Blacktown Spartans.

Kyraikos has already played once in Australia, part of the Greece side that lost 1-0 to Guus Hiddink’s Socceroos in the send-off game at the MCG before the 2006 World Cup.

The centreback admitted that part of the attraction was the hope of persuading an A-League team to sign him for next season.

“When I met Sydney Olympic Technical Director Arthur Diles in Athens I was instantly excited by the opportunity to visit a country I briefly visited in 2006 when Greece played Australia in Melbourne,” he said.

“I’ll never forget nearly 100,000 people at the stadium that night. Greeks in foreign countries have achieved so much and I am aware of the great progress football is making in Australia, attracting star players like Del Piero, Gallas and Heskey.

“I am in very good physical condition and I am very focused on playing well for Sydney Olympic. But I want to play for another couple of years and the A-League appeals to me. I have had offers over the past 6 months from Europe but I want my last contract to be about a new experience, an exciting league and the A-League offers that.”

Originally published as Olympic signs former Liverpool star