Socceroo James Troisi in action. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: The Advertiser
ADELAIDE-born James Troisi is seemingly back in Socceroos 2014 FIFA World Cup contention when he agreed to join Melbourne Victory on loan yesterday.
Co-owned by Italian giants Juventus and Serie A club Atalanta until 2015, Troisi was presented with Victory’s one-year loan paperwork in Bergamo, Italy on Sunday.
Troisi is expected to leave Bergamo today and is destined to make his Victory debut in round one of the A-League when the club faces Heart in the derby at Etihad Stadium on October 12.
It’s understood Troisi rejected huge money offers in the Middle East before looming to be one of Victory coach Ange Postecoglou’s shrewdest acquisitions of the new season.
Troisi was also pursued by English clubs Blackburn Rovers and Norwich City before FIFA’s midyear transfer window closed earlier this month.
Troisi, 25, is set to be officially unveiled by Victory once all the relevant paperwork has been rubber stamped by FIFA, the Italian football federation and Football Federation Australia.
His signature is set to propel Victory to rightfully claim favouritism for the 2014 A-League title after the club also recently signed Chilean central defender Pablo Contreras as its international marquee player.
The 181cm 35-year-old has represented Chile 67 times, including twice at the 2010 World Cup.
Victory officials would not confirm if the Troisi deal had been done yesterday but it’s understood the club would make an announcement once the paper trail is clear.
But Troisi now has his work cut out in the race to impress Socceroos boss Holger Osieck for the Brazil World Cup after being out of the national team picture since last year.
Osieck will today name his Socceroos squad to face France in France on October 11 and Canada at London’s Craven Cottage four days later.
Troisi is not expected to be called for the two friendly internationals.
But Osieck is preparing to recall former Adelaide United attacking midfielder Mathew Leckie in his squad after he scored two goals for Bundesliga 2 club FSV Frankfurt at the weekend in a 4-1 win over Ingolstadt where teammate and fringe Socceroo Nikita Rukavytsya also scored.
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