Heading west: Matthew Spiranovic has joined Western Sydney Wanderers after leaving Qatari side Al-Arabi. Western Sydney Wanderers have bolstered their already imposing defence by signing Socceroo defender Matthew Spiranovic on a one-year deal. The A-League premiers announced the signing of the 25-year-old central defender on Tuesday and Fairfax Media understands that he turned down offers from clubs in Europe in order to join the Wanderers for the upcoming season. Spiranovic was on the lookout for a new club since leaving Qatari side Al-Arabi earlier this year and was attracted to the Wanderers due to their swelling supporter base, success last season and upcoming Asian Champions League campaign. "I was here for two weeks training with the team and I thoroughly enjoyed my time here, got a bit of a taste for the club and was keen to come back," Spiranovic said. I've heard unbelievable things about the Wanderers' fan base and I'm really looking forward to playing in front of such great supporters. With almost 16,000 members, it's pretty special for a team that's only been in the league for a year. Spiranovic's signing further strengthens a Wanderers defence that conceded the fewest goals in the league last season. The 193-centimetre defender first made a name for himself by bursting into the first team of German Bundesliga club FC Nurnberg as a teenager in 2006 but appearances were often restricted due to injuries. He also had a spell at J-League club Urawa Red Diamonds, where he was a regular on the team sheet before moving to Qatar last year. Spiranovic hopes that his experience playing in east Asia and the Middle East will be a valuable asset in the Wanderers' first appearance in the Asian Champions League early next year. "I spent three years in Japan playing at a big club in the Urawa Reds," Spiranovic said. I took a lot of good memories and great experience from there and I know what to expect when playing in Asia - the conditions, the football and the players aswell.