Bay of Plenty footballer Nando Pijnaker is gearing up for a new challenge having joined Irish side Sligo Rovers.

The former Ngongotaha AFC youngster has joined the League of Ireland side on loan from his parent club Rio Ave of Portugal and will spend the 2022 season with club known as The Bit O'Reds.

Pijnaker, who attended Kaharoa School, recently starred in New Zealand's impressive Olympic campaign and was most recently in a loan spell at Danish outfit Helsingor – where he played with fellow New Zealand internationals Elijah Just and Callum McCowatt.

Now he will be looking to catch the eye with his new team, who finished third in the league last season.

'It's fantastic to be here,” says Pijnaker, speaking to the official Sligo Rovers website.

'It's a move that appealed to me and my main motivation is to play matches and help the team. I know the season is 36 games plus Cup football and European games so I know a chance will come at some point and I will take it.

'I spoke with the manager a couple of times and I was impressed by what he said. He had been speaking with my agent and I felt this was a good opportunity to go to a team playing European football at a good standard as well.”

He tells the club website that he received a glowing reference on a move to Sligo from five-cap All White and current Sligo forward Ryan De Vries.

The centre-back started his footballing journey at Ngongotaha AFC. Photo. James Fallon. Sligo Rovers.

Pijnaker, who turns 23 later this month, has previously played football in Sweden, Switzerland and Portugal as well as Denmark before his new Irish adventure.

After his first training session with his new team he was optimistic about settling in fast in his new surroundings.

'I'm ready to play and be part of what looks like a really good club,” he says.

'Ireland as a country is quite similar to New Zealand in many aspects. I think I'll be able to adjust and I'm really looking forward to meeting everyone and playing in front of the supporters in The Showgrounds.”

Sligo Rovers manager Liam Buckley believes Pijnaker has what it takes to make it in Ireland, as the Bit O'Reds look to win their first silverware since 2014.

'We're very pleased to bring in Nando,” says Buckley.

'Nando has a lot of what you want from a defender in terms of his height, strength, his tackling and also his distribution as well. He's coming into a new league but we feel he can do well here.”

'I've no doubt he'll be contributing over the course of the year and I can see by the conversations we've had that he is extremely keen to make an impact with us.”