UNITED SET TO SIGN STAR
MELBOURNE Victory’s dual-title winning goalscoring machine Besart Berisha will sensationally wear rival local colours and line up against his former club this season.
The firebrand looks set to nominate his club of choice within 48 hours.
Berisha became a cult hero at Victory, scoring 86 goals in 137 games for the club.
A-League expansion club Western United looms as his most likely home, but Melbourne City has tabled a oneyear offer inside the salary cap.
Wellington Phoenix is also after the A-League’s record goalscorer.
Berisha, 34, is in Europe but due to arrive in Australia within a week, in time for the start of the season on October 11.
Melbourne is Berisha’s preferred destination. His family spent considerable time there while he was in Japan playing for Sanfrecce Hiroshima, after a four-year stint with Victory.
Asked whether he would play in the A-League again, Berisha said early this year: “It’s very difficult. You never know in life, if something goes wrong or family (situation). But in my mind, I’d like to say no.
“I would like to live in Australia and be one day coach, which I am preparing step by step, but I don’t think I will play there any more.”
Western United can guarantee Berisha regular starts, most likely alongside former Socceroo Scott McDonald in a potentially fearsome front two.
City, which is likely to play with a single striker, is dangling the carrot of a Round 1 derby start against Victory at Marvel Stadium on October 12, when its main forward, Jamie Maclaren, is set to be away on Socceroos duty.
Western United, which will play nine home games at GMHBA Stadium, faces Victory at Marvel Stadium in Round 4, and Victory hosts Wellington at AAMI Park in Round 5.
Victory is understood to have held preliminary talks about a reunion with the man who helped it to two titles. But having added Socceroos Andrew Nabbout and Robbie Kruse to a frontline led by Swedish star Ola Toivonen, both parties realised opportunities would be limited.
Berisha would bring to his new club a winner’s mentality — which Western United, as a start-up club, and City, having lost so many leaders in recent years including Bruno Fornaroli, Tim Cahill, Neil Kilkenny, Bart Schenkeveld and Eugene Galekovic, both need.
Berisha made just seven appearances for Sanfrecce in 14 months, leaving the club last month. The Albania and Kosovo-capped striker would not take up a visa spot as he has become an Australian citizen.