For the 29-year-old midfielder it will be his first stint in the A-League after catching the eye with the high-flying Blues this season, just eight days after joining Olympic.

Severino will join Sydney Olympic team-mate Alex Smith on the Gold Coast next season after United coach Miron Bleiberg recently signed the former Dallas FC striker following his impressive form this season for the Blues.

Severino has had stints with Piacenza, Millwall, Keflavik in Iceland and with Umea FC in Sweden before catching the eye in the New South Wales Premier League in recent seasons.

The midfielder was set to sign a short-term deal with Sydney in 2007 while playing for Bankstown City but that deal was scuppered at the last minute.

In recent weeks Gold Coast have been busy in the transfer market announcing the signing of 27-year-old Dutch midfielder Peter Jungschlager from De Graafschap last week.

Bleiberg also signed 29-year-old Dutch defensive midfielder Paul Beekmans from SC Cambuur-Leeuwarden two weeks ago.

This double Dutch swoop followed news that young Ausssie centre-back Dylan McGowan had joined Gold Coast United a one-year loan deal from Scottish Premier League club Hearts.