Adelaide United’s grand final hero Bruce Kamau has walked out of the A-League champions and is poised to join Melbourne City.
And United are also braced to lose winger Craig Goodwin to Dutch club Sparta Rotterdam.
The decision of Kamau, who scored Adelaide’s first goal in their 3-1 grand final win against Western Sydney last Sunday, has disappointed the Reds.
“Adelaide United and its coaching staff would like it to be known it was always the club’s intention to keep Kamau, considering he is a local South Australian and considering his development was through Adelaide United’s setup,” the club said in a statement on Thursday.
“However Kamau, his family and management believe its best for him to continue his career elsewhere.”
The fleet-footed attacker has been linked with Melbourne City.
Goodwin, who on Wednesday night won the club’s player of the year award, has reportedly signed a deal to join Sparta Rotterdam.
But a club a official told AAP on Thursday there was no official announcement yet on the Goodwin’s future.
Meanwhile, Adelaide’s on-loan striker Eli Babalj will return to his parent club AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivisie.
Babalj made eight appearances for the Reds but ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in round 16 and will continue his rehabilitation in Europe.
tommaso
Guest
Kamau is definitely overrated and will disappear from the A league as soon as he flops in Melbourne - was given far more opportunity in Adelaide than other any deserving AU youth players and appears he has taken this special privilege for granted.
Funky Juiceball
Guest
Pretty much agree, Franko. I've loved Goodwin's honesty and effort over the last couple years, and it's been great to see him have something of a breakout this year. Disappointing that he won't be round next year for the Reds, but impossible to begrudge him anything. If nothing else, he's potentially another great sporting story for Adelaide's northern suburbs. The bloke has proper Socceroo potential. No comment on Kamau for the moment - I feel the burn but he's a super young kid and only started a handful of games. His exuberance and scramble up that wing has been great, and I do hope that JVS can bring him on in the same way you would imagine GA would have done. Have to assume that he and his management know what's good for them.
Franko
Guest
Kamau / Goodwin will be replaced by 2 or all 3 of Marino, Garuccio and Kitto. All local lads. Goodwin I wish all the best of luck, always gave his best for the club and deserves a crack in Europe. A sound team to move to also, where he should get at least a good go at it. Kamau leaves a little bitter taste in the mouth. Here is a kid that has come through the AU system, been given a taste and the very first hint at $$$ or a chance to leave and he leaps on it. You can blame M.Petrillo and Malik for misleading the kid, but ultimatley he is the one who thinks JVS will better develop him than Armor. Surely Mauk has shown us how much a youngster can thrive under Armor........?
Kaks
Roar Guru
$$$ Cant blame him to be honest, a player's career is quite short.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
It is a pity as the Adelaide United are very keen on developing South Australian talent and Kamau had just broken into the starting XI. I assume the club will be looking to replace him with either someone from the youth squad or a young South Australian plying their trade elsewhere (ala Mauk). The transfer news for Goodwin is welcome as he should do rather well in the Netherlands and is ready for the step up. I expect to see him in the green & gold sometime soon.
Fred
Guest
It doesn't surprise me!... The lure of a wealthy club affiliated with Manchester City is all too tempting for youngsters like Bruce Kamau.....personally I think he should've stayed under Amor's guidance, where he could've cultivated his ability further, and there's no better person at the moment in the A-League than the Barcelona legend to learn from...time is on Kamua's side and he had a golden opportunity to learn more from Guillermo and a chance to play Champions League football, a competition where many wealthy clubs have their scouts on the lookout for up and coming prospects ....hopefully for Kamau's sake it turns out to be a good move, a move where his football continues to flourish, and not go all pear shaped, but if he does become another flash in the pan statistic, he'll rue the day he naively walked away from a solid training ground in search for the glam and glitz of a rich club
whiskeymac
Guest
Is MCFC a feeder club to a bigger network of clubs and with the ability to offer more therefore even within the constraints of a salary cap? Always disappointing when the band gets broken up, especially when the upcoming stars walk off to other rivals, but this happens more often than not. What would be more tragic for AUFC is the lack of a transfer fee (assume thats the case)
Fadida
Guest
Strange one from Kamau. Amor is a vastly superior coach to JVS, so his development may be affected. He was also a starter for AU. Will he be for MC?