Ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack in A-League talks with Western Sydney Wanderers
Tom Smithies
The Daily Telegraph
September 19, 2012 7:40PM
GERMAN star Michael Ballack is the latest European superstar to be lined up for the A-League, with Western Sydney Wanderers approached to bring the veteran of two World Cups to Australia .
The former Chelsea midfielder would complete a stunning trio of signings for Australian soccer after Emile Heskey yesterday agreed to sign for Newcastle Jets, just two days after Sydney FC unveiled Alessandro Del Piero.
It's understood that no contract has been offered to Ballack but that the 35-year-old has expressed his interest in coming to Australia, having already had offers from Dubai and Qatar.
Ballack played 98 times for Germany, including the 2002 and 2006 World Cups with only injury depriving him of a third tournament two years ago.
He has just left Bayer Leverkusen after a two year stint in the Bundesliga, following on from four years with Chelsea.
A number of impediments lie in the path of a deal, but the fact that the Wanderers have their full complement of five visa players is not one of them.
The Daily Telegraph understands that the other A-League clubs made a remarkable offer in July to allow the Wanderers short-term dispensation to sign a small number of extra overseas players, given the tightness of the market in Australia.
Ballack's signing would give the Wanderers' profile an almighty boost, but it would also require a remarkable change of course for a club so far built on community engagement and eschewing the marquee model.
There is also the question of funding the deal - though senior sources said it would come from the club's operating budget, realistically it would have to be supported by extra sponsor or commercial income on the back of the deal, or risk the wrath of the other A-League clubs.
Wanderers chairman Lyall Gorman last night cooled talk of any deal, saying: "A-League clubs talk to lots of player agents about lots of different players.
"We don't provide a running commentary on these talks and we won't offer confirmations or denials every time a rumour surfaces.''
The developing story came after Heskey's one-year deal was agreed subject to a medical, the results of which may be known as soon as today, and the former England international will arrive in Newcastle within days.
It emerged yesterday that new A-League boss Damien de Bohun played a key role in laying the groundwork for Heskey's signing, with Football Federation Australia rewriting the rules around marquee players to allow more flexibiltiy with sponsors and in contracts.
Meanwhile the Mariners have unveiled their own big signing of the off-season, with 30-year-old English midfielder Nick Montgomery arriving to begin a three-year stint in Gosford.
Montgomery had spent the whole of his career previously at Sheffield United, making 349 appearances in 12 years and earning a standing ovation from the Blades supporters at the end of his last game at Bramall Lane last weekend.
Twenty six of those games came in the EPL, and Mariners coach Graham Arnold hopes Montgomery can fill the gap in midfield left since Rostyn Griffiths moved to Chinese club Guangzhou R&F last season.
