Former Leyton Orient keeper Alex Cisak has joined A-League side Sydney FC on a two-year deal.

The 28-year-old left the O’s on a free earlier this summer after playing 76 times during his two seasons at Brisbane Road.

He returns to his homeland to join up with the defending champions and is looking forward to representing Sydney.

It feels great to be heading home and to be helping the Hyundai A-League Champions defend their titles this year,” he told the club website.

“After 12 years playing in England, the lure of the A-League and AFC Champions League football was too much.

“The A-League was only just beginning when I left to join Leicester City in 2005, and to be coming back to play for Australia’s number one side is a dream come true.

“I’ve heard a lot about the league from friends in recent years, not least how impressive the standard is and I can’t wait to get started on the challenge.”

Sydney head coach Graham Arnold believes Cisak’s arrival can provide the ideal level of competition for places among the club’s other keepers.

“We now have two excellent number one goalkeepers fighting for the number one spot which can only be good for us,” he said.

“Alex has proven how talented he is by surviving for 12 years in one of the world’s toughest leagues. It wasn’t long ago he was called into the Socceroos squad and I expect him to be challenging for that again when he produces the form we know he is capable of.

“With Andrew Redmayne’s performance against Arsenal on the back of reaching a Grand Final last year, we now have two of the best goalkeepers in the country at our disposal.

“I look forward to both of them developing well under John Crawley.”