FFA CEO David Gallop expects Alessandro Del Piero to follow through on his commitment to play for the A-League All Stars against Juventus, despite the midfielder already searching for a new club overseas.
Connor Chapman has jetted off to Melbourne Heart. Source: News Limited
MELBOURNE Heart has raided A-League rival Newcastle Jets for talented duo Connor Chapman and James Brown as the squad takes shape for next season.
Defender Chapman’s request for a contract termination was granted while midfielder Brown’s contract expired having tried to move clubs in the January transfer window.
Heart will now focus on signing a quality foreign, and Australian, marquee player, with the Herald Sun revealing recently that Josh Kennedy and Mark Bresciano were on the hit-list.
With 16 players contracted for next season, Heart has seven spots left to secure its marquees and significant salary cap space to secure two more visa players after Patrick Gerhardt and Michael Mifsud departed while Orlando Engelaar won’t be returning.
ames Brown has signed with Melbourne Heart for next season. Source: News Limited
Brown and Chapman have signed multi-year deals with Heart, joining incoming Western Sydney midfielder Aaron Mooy as new arrivalsrecruits.
Chapman, 19, was progressing beautifully with a solid FIFA under-20 World Cup sandwiched between A-League seasons where he got regular games before the Jets mysteriously dumped him mid-season in favour of Taylor Regan and Josh Mitchell.
After shooting onto the scene with Gold Coast United, for whom he scored nine goals in 38 games, Brown rejected several offers to join Gary van Egmond’s Jets in 2012.
Brown will be joined at Heart by talented young defender Connor Chapman. Source: News Limited
But injuries and non-selection have meant he’s failed to replicate that form.
Brown, 24, is capable of playing in central or wide attacking positions or even as a deep-lying midfielder (No.8).
Chapman is a classic stopper who replaces outgoing duo Gerhardt and David Vrankovic and he will compete with Patrick Kisnorbo and Rob Wielaert for a spot in the back two.
Heart coach John van’t Schip and football manager John Didulica just spent several weeks in Manchester with City’s technical director Txiki Begiristain, academy director Brian Marwood and title-winning manager Manuel Pellegrini finetuning their recruiting and football strategy.
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