Caltex Socceroos defender Trent Sainsbury has completed a loan move to Swiss Super League side Grasshopper Zurich for the rest of the season.
Sainsbury has been loaned to the Swiss powerhouses from his Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning.
While the 26-year-old is still recovering from recent groin surgery, he’ll be hoping for plenty of game time on his return as he aims to hit peak fitness for this year’s FIFA World Cup in Russia.
“Trent is currently still recovering from an operation late last year,” Grasshopper’s sporting director Mathias Walther said on the club’s website.
“We aim for a longer term cooperation with him.
“Trent convinces above all with his duel strength and a good game trigger.”
Sainsbury has played 31 times for the Caltex Socceroos and is likely to be one of Bert van Marwijk’s first-choice candidates in central defence for the FIFA World Cup.
This is Sainsbury’s second short-term loan move away from Jiangsu having joined Serie A outfit Inter Milan in the second half of last season.
Grasshopper’s first game since Sainsbury’s signing is on Monday morning (AEDT), when they host fellow Caltex Socceroos star Tomi Juric’s FC Luzern.
