Connor Wickham has found himself a new club in the UAE.

Former Sunderland striker Connor Wickham has completed a move to Middle Eastern club Dubai City.

The centre forward has been unattached ever since he left Charlton Athletic after a brief stint in 2024, during which he scored one goal in four outings, and has most recently participated in the PFA’s Free Agent training camp, aimed at providing players with a professional working environment while they search for new opportunities.

Indeed, while playing for a PFA XI, Wickham went viral last month after scoring a stunning strike from the halfway line during a friendly against a Manchester United youth side.

But after more than a year without a club, the 32-year-old looks set to return to competitive action after signing for Dubai City, who compete in the second tier of UAE’s domestic footballing pyramid.

A move to the Middle East will be the latest chapter in a nomadic career for Wickham. After starting his senior career with Ipswich Town, he moved to Sunderland in 2011, scoring 15 goals in 91 appearances across all competitions. From there, he has spent time on the books at Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds United, Crystal Palace, Preston North End, MK Dons, Forest Green Rovers, Cardiff City, and aforementioned Charlton Athletic.

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What has Connor Wickham previously said about his time as a free agent?

Speaking last September about his desire to return to action, Wickham told Sky Sports News: “I'm still only 31 really. It feels like I've been around for ages. I still want to push myself to be at a good level, at the top level. I've still got a few years left where I feel like I can still provide that.

“I'm just going to keep training, stay fit. I've had options, but I feel like I want to challenge myself. I don't want to get to the end of my career and be like, ‘I wish I did this, I wish I did that’. I'm sure sooner or later the right opportunity will come along and it will be one that will fit me and challenge me.

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“At some point, I've always thought one thing I would have loved to have done is go and play abroad. It could have happened a couple of times during my career. At the time, I wasn't really that open to it. But as I've got to where I am now, where I still am, it would be nice when you see players now playing abroad, and the different cultures, the different fans, and different life experiences as well. I'm open, but I'm ready.”

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