Akagündüz coup for Ried

Austria striker Muhammet Akagündüz has returned to UEFA Cup contenders SV Ried on a free transfer just six months after joining Italian side Hellas-Verona FC.

Well travelled
The 29-year-old has signed a one-year contract with Ried, where he scored 29 goals in 90 league games between 2000 and 2003. Akagündüz then moved on loan to Turkish clubs Malatyaspor and Konyaspor before making a permanent switch to SK Rapid Wien for the 2005/06 campaign. He subsequently spent last season with Kayserispor, back in Turkey, and then Verona. Capped ten times by Austria, he scored his only international goal against Belarus in October 2003. Ried face FC Sion in Switzerland in the concluding leg of their UEFA Cup second qualifying round tie on Thursday, following a 1-1 home draw in Austria.