Similar to Northcote City in the top flight, Kingston City are shaking up the second tier of the NPL with two international recruits that arrive with vast international pedigree.
Julien Chaumet, a 25-year-old custodian from France, and Zdeněk Koukal, a 31-year-old attacking midfielder from the Czech Republic, fill the club’s Visa spots for 2016.
The custodian comes to the Grange from fourth-tier French side AS Moulins, where he’d been at since 2011.
The St Etienne-born custodian had been a train-on with Clermont Foot in his youth, before taking up stints at lower league sides Yzeure and Montluçon
He left for Australia in October 2015 and was linked with a few clubs before signing with Kingston City.
The club have also signed attacking midfielder Zdeněk Koukal.
The Czech comes from Bohemian Football League club FK Baník Most, having been relegated from 2. Liga in 2014-15.
Koukal has previously been at Czech heavyweights FC Viktoria Plzeň and has featured for a handful of other clubs in the country across the top tier and below, where he has also seen Europa League action.
The 31-year-old also played youth representative football from 2002 to 2004 between U18 and U21 level.
This will be his first club stint outside of his home country.
The signings mark a busy transfer period for Kingston, with Nick Tolios’ side looking to build on their sixth place finish last season, only one point off third placed Dandenong City.
The news comes on the back of the club’s signing of Jerry Karpeh, a former Perth Glory player who was a regular scorer in his first spell in Victoria between 2008 and 2011, with Kingston heavily strengthening all over the pitch.
Ryan Love (Bentleigh Greens), Rowan McNamee (Oakleigh Cannons), Slaven Vranesevic (Casey Comets) and Mouad Zwed (Canberra FC) are the other recruits who make up a new look City in 2016.
Feature image: ČTK/Michal Krumphanzl