City striker Jamie Maclaren reveals how he nearly joined Victory

After his fraught transfer to Melbourne City, Jamie Maclaren has revealed how he could have been playing in navy rather than sky blue had a move to his new derby rivals been completed.

Maclaren’s Melbourne move happened differently than he expected. (AAP Image/Daniel Pockett)

• Matildas’ fresh start with World Cup specialist
• Fab five eye derby reunion

Melbourne City’s prized new Socceroos signing Jamie Maclaren almost joined Melbourne Victory in recent transfer windows, and admitted his current deal to the sky blue side of town almost collapsed.

The striker admitted having sleepless nights in the final days of the January transfer window, revealing that his City move was only done with less than an hour to spare.

Cited as a potential replacement for marquee striker Besart Berisha, Maclaren stayed in Europe with Victory eventually pouncing on Sweden 2018 World Cup striker Ola Toivonen.

Maclaren’s Melbourne move happened differently than he expected. (AAP Image/Daniel Pockett)

Every match of the 2018/19 Hyundai A-League LIVE. Get it all on Foxtel

Maclaren, who’s scored two goals in his first two games, will be a thorn in Victory’s side in Saturday night’s third and final derby of the regular season, as pressure mounts on City coach Warren Joyce after a solitary win in seven games and a horror display in Newcastle last Friday.

Victory coach Kevin Muscat and Maclaren’s dad Don both played in the National Soccer League with Sunshine George Cross, with Maclaren junior admitting that Victory talks had taken place with City’s rivals.

The Socceroos striker has already had an impact at City. (AAP Image/Darren Pateman)

“There had been discussions previously (with Victory), but not this time around,’’ Maclaren said.

“There have always been talks. There’s a mutual respect between me and Musky given he knows my old man. Musky was a junior and my old man was coming to the end (of his career).

“It’s always been a goal of mine to play in Melbourne and thankfully Melbourne City have come with a deal and one I’m so happy with.

“For it to be a long term deal is something that gives me a bit of hope that there’s going to be some silverware along the way and that’s a big reason why I’ve come.”

Maclaren was on loan to Hibernian and the Scottish club would not release him until signing a replacement, despite parent club Darmstadt agreeing to release him to the A-League.

“100 per cent (I thought it was dead),’’ he said.

“I told City I genuinely think this may not go through. There was nights I wouldn’t sleep. I’d be sitting there, tossing and turning.

“There was a period where things were moving and then Hibs would lose out on their target. They were not letting me go without getting a replacement.

“It got done 9.30pm UK time, which was 10.30pm German time, so we had half an hour to spare (before the transfer window closed). And they just signed their player from Reading.

“They were rushing me, when I was rushing them the whole week. I got told to rush to the stadium (in the closing stages).

“This was a perfect opportunity to come to a club that’s growing.”

Originally published as City striker Jamie Maclaren reveals how he nearly joined Victory