Gulum saddles up with Western United

Melbourne-born Gulum, 31, joins after eschewing previous A-League offers to spend a year out of top-flight football.

In the meantime, he's been involved with lower-tier Victorian club Whittlesea United.

Western United assistant coach John Hutchinson said Gulum was "exactly the player we have been searching for to play a key role at our new club".

"Ersan is a quality defender who is very comfortable on the ball," Hutchinson said.

"In addition, he has an infectious character and brings so much international experience from great players and teams he has played with.

"We will be looking to Ersan to drive the moulding of our team and culture on and off the park."

Gulum spent the majority of his career in Turkey, before a spell in China, until he landed at Adelaide United on loan for their 2017-18 campaign.

He said meeting Western United club officials "reinvigorated my appetite to play in the A-League" after a player-coach role for Whittlesea.

"I like what the plans are, I see the talent that this club has already secured, and I have been charged by the coaches to take a strong role in helping these young players become seasoned professionals," he said.

Gulum is the 12th player signed by Western United but the club, set to play out of Geelong for its first seasons, is yet to sign a senior coach or a goalkeeper.

Both are expected to arrive from Wellington soon with coach Mark Rudan and gloveman Filip Kurto heavily tipped to fill those roles.

Other signings are likely in coming weeks as A-League players come off contract at the end of their campaigns.

WESTERN UNITED CONFIRMED SIGNINGS

Football director: Steve Horvat

Assistant coaches: John Hutchinson, John Anastasiadis

Players: Panagiotis Kone, Ersan Gulum, Josh Risdon, Connor Chapman, Aaron Calver, Sebastian Pasquali, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, Dylan Pierias, Valentino Yuel, Connor Pain, Josh Cavallo, Jonathan Aspropotamitis

Australian Associated Press