Perth Glory star Diego Castro will be even more valuable for the A-League club after a full pre-season, according to football director Jacob Burns.
Castro, 35, signed a one-year extension with Perth last month, the superstar midfielder set for a fourth season at the club.
Unlike previously, the Spanish playmaker is set to join his Glory team-mates from the start of pre-season on Monday in a huge boost to Tony Popovic s men.
Burns believes that will only help Perth, who have been led by the 2015-16 Johnny Warren Medallist since his arrival.
Cas is a very unique player, he s been a legacy player for us and still has fantastic football in him, he told Omnisport.
I think it was a very important one for us as a club, for Popa as manager, to have him back for a full pre-season. I think that s something that in the past we haven t had, we haven t had him at the very start.
He s a fit, professional guy and he always looks after himself, but I think it s going to have even more value him starting day one with the group, being in all the pre-season, through the FFA Cup games, and we ve got some exciting games coming up, including Chelsea here on July 23.
We can t wait to witness more magic from El Maestro next season
— Perth Glory FC (@PerthGloryFC)
Glory are looking for an improved campaign after finishing eighth and missing the finals last season.
The arrival of former Western Sydney Wanderers coach Popovic – who won the AFC Champions League in 2014 – has already given them a boost.
I think first and foremost he [Popovic] has been successful, he s taken a start-up club to the AFC Champions League and won it in the first season and he s been involved in finals, Burns said.
It s his professionalism and his winning mentality I think that players want to come and play for. They know it s not easy but they know they re going to be a better player for it .
The general consensus in and amongst football circles is that yes, it s going to be a tough time when you re working under him, but it s one that I think everyone embraces.
