Mark Birighitti will join Dundee United following ’emotional’ talks with the Central Coast Mariners owner.
Richard Peil has confirmed that Birighitti will make the switch to Tannadice, with the two clubs understood to have agreed a six-figure fee.
The Mariners chief is adamant losing his first-choice goalkeeper, with whom he had been in talks about an extended deal recently, has left him ‘shattered’.
Nevertheless, with footballing and family factors drawing Birighitti to Scotland, Peil says accepting the offer was ultimately ‘the right thing’.
“I am shattered,” Peil told FTBL. “Mark and I became friends after being introduced by mutual friend Lawrie McKinna long before I decided to invest in the club.
“In fact, Mark is one of the reasons I ultimately decided to invest, and only six weeks ago, we were talking about a long extension to his contract.
“Monty [Mariners boss Nick Montgomery] and I sat down with him and tried everything to convince him to stay.
“But when he became emotional I realised this is a move largely motivated around his wife being closer to her family [in Scotland].
“The right thing was to allow it to happen, especially as Dundee United have matched our asking price.
“The move to Scotland was very important to him. That said, I’m still shattered.”
Arrival
Birighitti will succeed Benji Siegrist between the sticks for United following the Swiss stopper’s move to Celtic. He will battle it out for the gloves with Finland international Carljohan Eriksson.
❌ Ben Waine
❌ Craig Goodwin
❌ Bruno FornaroliMark Birighitti 3 from 5 this season from the spot 🧤
Impressive 😲 #CCMFC #WontBackDown pic.twitter.com/J7o8g7eQEP
— Central Coast Mariners (@CCMariners) March 16, 2022
And he arrives with ample pedigree, having won A-League goalkeeper of the year for the past two campaigns with the Mariners.
Capped once for Australia, Birighitti has also been on the books of Newcastle Jets, Adelaide United, Varese, Swansea City, NAC Breda and Melbourne City.
Birighitti will join United pending a U.K. work permit being granted; a process eased by the fact he holds an Italian passport.
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