Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat has confirmed that Archie Thompson will remain at the club for the 2014/15 season despite vacating the 'Australian marquee' position in the club's salary cap.
Melbourne Victory training at Etihad Stadium. Source: News Limited
MELBOURNE Victory will move to sign a new Australian marquee after confirming Archie Thompson had committed to a new deal under the salary cap.
Thompson, 35, has re-signed for an additional season while fellow foundation Victory player Adrian Leijer, 28, has re-signed for two more years.
It is understood Newcastle Jets had expressed some interest in Thompson, the A-League’s all-time leading goal scorer with 78, but the striker said: “I only had one goal in mind and that was to re-sign with Melbourne for another year.”
Damaging Albanian striker Besart Berisha, who lines up for Brisbane Roar in Sunday’s grand final, will join Victory next season on a two-year international marquee deal.
Many have speculated what Berisha’s arrival will mean for Thompson’s position in the starting line-up.
Archie Thompson of the Victory has committed for another season. Source: Getty Images
But the fan-favourite is far from threatened, saying instead that Berisha could help him tick off one last goal he has before retiring.
“You just want to attract the best players to the club that you can and I want to win a championship before my career is out,” Thompson said.
“The last two seasons we’ve fallen at that last hurdle, but I think with the likes of Berisha coming as well as whoever else Musky (coach Kevin Muscat) brings in I hope they help because I want to win another championship.”
After Mark Milligan was the subject of strong transfer bids from English Premier League side Crystal Palace and United Arab Emirates club in the past 12 months, it would be no surprise if Victory moved to make its current captain its new Australian marquee in order to retain him after the World Cup.
Adrian Leijer of the Victory also re-signed. Source: Getty Images
But there remains a possibility that James Troisi could command the marquee position if Victory was able to manufacture a deal to permanently prise him away from current co-owners Juventus and Atalanta in Italy’s Serie A.
After securing the signatures of Thompson and Leijer, attentions now turn to Gui Finkler and Adama Traore.
Finkler’s re-signing is understood to be closer to fruition than Traore’s and Leijer said he had spoken to both players about staying on - although accepted the reality that the salary cap makes it difficult.
Leijer also expects the club to sign another central defender in the off-season after Pablo Contreras’ retirement left he and Nick Ansell as the club’s only current centre backs.
“We do need that depth,” Leijer said.
“It was evident this year through suspension and injuries that you do need three good centre backs.
“In the right back area we’ve got Jason (Geria) and Scotty (Galloway) who are both fantastic and on the left, hopefully Adama (Traore) stays - I’m not sure if he will or not - but in that central area I do think we need another player.
“You see this year that you just really want a good squad to push each other, you need that to achieve things.”
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