Sydney sign Finnish striker

Sydney FC have boosted their attacking stocks by signing former Hearts striker Juho Makela to a 15-month deal on Saturday.

The Finnish striker has just come off a sensational season where he was top scorer in the Finnish Veikkausliiga for the second time, notching up 16 goals from 18 appearances for champion side HJK Helsinki during the 2010 campaign.

As the Finnish winters are particularly brutal, the season runs from April to October during the summer months, allowing Makela to recently trial with Sydney, ahead of officially transferring to the club during the January transfer window.

Nicknamed ‘The Surgeon’, the pacy striker could be the answer to the Sky Blues’ goalscoring woes as they have managed just 21 goals so far this season, the fourth-worst record in the league.

Starting his career with home-town team Tervarit, Makela moved to HJK Helsinki for the 2003 season, scoring 33 goals in 66 appearances for the club over the next three campaigns.

He signed a three-and-a-half year deal with Scottish side Hearts in 2006 where, in 2007, he was loaned out to Swiss club FC Thun, before returning back to his former club HJK Helsinki in 2008 on an initial three-month loan, which became a permanent return prior to the 2009 Veikkausliiga season.

Makela made his national debut for Finland in 2004 and has seven caps to his name.