Yet another Sydney FC Academy graduate is doing great things and making enormous strides in their professional career, with Patrick Yazbek making the switch from Viking FK in Norway to Nashville SC in the MLS (Major League Soccer – United States).
Eighteen months ago, the then 20-year-old departed Sydney FC having spent six years at the club, rising through the Academy to become a regular starting member of the Isuzu-UTE A-League Men’s squad.
He has since progressed to become a fully-fledged Socceroo.
On departing Yazbek said: “I’ll always cherish the moments I’ve had here…. and hopefully I can repay everything Sydney FC has done for me.”
He has gone a long way to doing that with a sell-on clause set to net the Sky Blues a proportion of the reported 2.7 million euros ($4.4 million AU) transfer fee, making him one of the most expensive Australian players in history.
Yazbek follows close friend Jake Girdwood-Reich to the US, after he broke Sydney FC’s transfer record (previously held by Yazbek) when signing for St. Louis SC in the club’s first $1m+ deal last month.
He believes this shows the benefit of continuing to invest in the Sydney FC Academy and developing young players in the first team squad.
“This is further testament to the quality of our pathways and the talent being developed through Sydney FC’s Academy,” he said.
“It adds to our desire to put together competitive, winning teams on the pitch while creating commercial returns off it.
“This is an extremely exciting move for Patrick and we wish him all the best.”
Yazbek is proof that young players should always harbour a never say die attitude, if they want it badly enough.
At the time of his departure in February 2022, Sydney FC Technical Director – Youth, Kelly Cross said: “What Patrick has demonstrated to all young players is to never give up and always believe in yourself.
“As a youngster, Patrick was never considered for junior national teams and he has seen many of his Sydney FC Academy teammates move on to A-League contracts or overseas.
“He continued to improve himself and we kept him in the Academy because we felt he had so much potential yet to be realised.”
It’s potential which still has a plenty of fulfillment left and represents another proud moment for Patrick and the Sydney FC family.
In all he played 39 games for Viking, strangely the same number he played for Sydney FC.
In Norway he scored two goals and made six assists and at Sydney FC had one goal to his name, more proof of his desire to continue to learn and develop.
