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Melbourne Victory say their chances of signing home-bound Socceroo Mark Viduka are “remote”, but coach Ernie Merrick hasn’t entirely ruled out securing him as a guest player.
Viduka, reportedly on his way back to live in Australia after calling time on his European soccer career, has been heavily linked with the Victory.
Melbourne-raised Viduka would be a perfect fit for the club, especially given the recent departure of striker Danny Allsopp for the Middle East.
But the Victory would be unable to afford the 33-year-old under its salary cap.
And they already have Socceroo striker Archie Thompson contracted as their marquee player outside the cap for the next two years.
Merrick said the Victory had not discussed signing Viduka, though club chairman Geoff Lord has recently admitted the club could explore the prospect of getting him in as a guest player.
“Mark has never said he’ll play football in Australia, we haven’t spoken about signing him, but the same as any other A-League club, he’d be a great player to have in our team,” Merrick said.
“Having said that, the opportunity to have Mark Viduka in our side is extremely remote, given that we have a salary cap and that we have a marquee player.
“Archie Thompson’s our marquee player, he’s contracted until 2011, he’s playing some great football and our salary cap’s full.
“We’re pretty happy with where we’re at.”
The Victory have never signed a guest player, though their on-field success coupled with Merrick’s preference for squad stability meant there was not the need.
But Merrick was careful not to rule out the prospect of Viduka or another quality guest player, especially as the Victory’s title defence is stuttering six matches into the season.
“We’ve never felt the need to have anyone in for the short-term. If the need arose, if the finances arose, and the situation arose, I think we’d look at it,” Merrick said.
“Last season we had very few injuries. This season we’ve already lost the same amount of players as the whole of last season.
“We’d be pretty keen to find a striker, and to find an injury replacement player for Billy Celeski (out for 12 months with a knee injury).
“Someone who comes in for the long-term would be ideal.”
Melbourne will wait until just prior to kick-off to decide whether skipper Kevin Muscat returns from a six-week injury layoff for the grand final re-match against Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday night.
Muscat has been added to an extended squad.
Adelaide have recalled defender Robert Cornthwaite from a club-imposed suspension for disciplinary reasons, but lose midfielder Paul Reid to a thigh injury.
Adelaide sit in fifth place, two points clear of the Victory.
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