Socceroos defensive leader Trent Sainsbury will have European top flight football as preparation for the World Cup after joining Switzerland's Grasshopper Zurich on short-term loan.
It's the 26-year-old's second loan spell in Europe away from his Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Suning - having played one match for Italian giants Inter Milan last season.
Sainsbury's debut for Grasshoppers is likely to be next month with the centre back still recovering from a groin operation in December.
He joins national teammate striker Tomi Juric in the Swiss Super League - with the two set to go head-to-head on May 13 when Grasshopper travel to Juric's FC Luzern.
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Sainsbury formed the backbone of Australia's back three during the recent World Cup qualifying campaign, emerging as the nation's most reliable defender.
The centre-half was linked with a move to Sydney FC after spending a period of his recent off-season training under father-in-law Graham Arnold.
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