Dundee United are delighted to announce the signing of Zac Sapsford from Western Sydney Wanderers, as the striker arrives on a three-year deal - subject to both SFA and international clearance. 

Hailing from Australia’s most populous city, the frontman honed his talents as a youngster at Hakoah Sydney City East, spending five goal-laden campaigns spearheading attacks at various youth levels.

A brief stint in the United Kingdom with Chester FC punctuated his breakthrough into the first-team set-up at Maccabi Hakoah in 2021. Taking the division by storm, he found the back of the net seven times in his first 15 senior matches, and caught the eye of Sydney FC.

Sapsford’s meteoric rise through the Australian pyramid continued upon his arrival at the Allianz Stadium, and he marked his debut for the club’s U21 side with a sumptuous, curling effort against Northbridge Bulls - a sign of things to come.

Six further strikes followed in less than two months in the second tier, drawing attention from across the city. In the summer of 2022, he swapped light blue for red and black, after being offered a foothold in the professional game at Western Sydney Wanderers.

Matchday Three of the 2022/23 campaign and the visit of Brisbane Roar brought Sapsford’s top-flight debut a month after his 20th birthday, going on to turn out a further five times throughout the year. 

He balanced his A-League duties with regular action with the Wanderers’ reserve side across the following two seasons, contributing 15 goals and 11 assists in just 34 appearances.

In November 2023, Sapsford burst onto the Australian footballing scene by etching his name into the history of the fiercely-contested Sydney Derby. 

Deputising for veteran Brandon Borello, our new recruit climbed from the bench to thunder home an unforgetabble winner against his former employers during the closing stages and pitch himself into the limelight.

The return fixture saw Wanderers’ hometown hero rise to the occasion once again, this time notching a cathartic equaliser deep into second-half stoppage-time.

Now a key figure within the senior side, Sapsford ended 2024/25 with his tally standing at nine, and complimented his goalscoring exploits by teeing up his teammates five times. He was directly involved in almost a quarter of all goals scored by Alen Stajcic’s men, and bagged a brace in yet another scintillating derby display.

Compared to his peers in the division aged under 23, Sapsford topped the charts last term for touches in the opposition’s penalty area, ranked second for fouls drawn and matched his expected goals and assists haul - underlining his efficiency.

A KILLER INSTINCT

After confirming his first new recruit of the summer, Dundee United Manager Jim Goodwin expressed his satisfaction, saying: "The addition of Zac represents a terrific piece of business for the club - to have a player of his calibre secured so early in the window is incredibly satisfying.

"He's a dynamic forward with a killer instinct in the final third off both feet or with his head, and also has the awareness to intelligently bring his teammates into play.

The Irishman continued: "We feel he's someone that will get our supporters out of their seats and we can rely on in big moments given his mentality and track record in those situations.

"Zac immediately bought into our vision for him and his development - I'm looking forward to closely monitoring his progression during his time in tangerine."

WE LOOK FORWARD TO UNVEILING MORE EXCITING NEW SIGNINGS

"Zac was a player who piqued our interest after being flagged by the clubs internal data models, and impressed when we followed this up with more traditional scouting methods," added Head of Recruitment, Ross Goodwin.

"These new processes combined with conventional, in-person talent ID will be pivotal in identifying new additions throughout the summer and beyond. 

"We fought off stiff competition from across the globe for his signature, so we're incredibly pleased to have the deal over the line so early in the window, and we look forward to unveiling more exciting new signings for United fans to enjoy watching throughout the forthcoming seasons."

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