Melbourne City signs former Socceroo Dario Vidosic

MELBOURNE City has made its second signing of the mid-season transfer window, adding a former Socceroo to its ranks as utility Osama Malik predicts a busy summer of transfer action across the league.

Dario Vidosic, playing for Wellington Phoenix, is now at Melbourne City. Picture: Brett Costello

MELBOURNE City has added former Socceroo Dario Vidosic to its ranks as utility Osama Malik predicts a busy summer of transfer action across the league.

Vidosic will make City his fifth A-League club after walking out on Wellington Phoenix earlier this month.

He is City’s second signing of the mid-season transfer window, joining defender Harrison Delbridge as new additions.

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Teammate Malik suggests there will be plenty of others trading places around the league as coaches look to implement new systems and players look to come good on World Cup ambitions.

Asked on Friday whether the transfer window, which opens on January 3, could see a record number of moves this season, Malik said, “I think there might be”.

New Melbourne City signing Dario Vidosic quit Wellington earlier this month. Picture: Getty Images

“(As a player you’ve got to think about) if you’re playing, if you’re not playing, then what the coach thinks of you.

“For a player that’s aiming to get to a World Cup maybe they want to get a move to a club and a league to have a better chance of making the Socceroos.

“I had a good opportunity to come here two years ago and I jumped at the chance.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if there were a few changes in January.”

Two years ago, John van ‘t Schip brought Malik in from Adelaide in a mid-season swap for now teammate Stefan Mauk.

The capture of Vidosic represents Warren Joyce’s desire to add goals to his line-up.

#WelcomeDario pic.twitter.com/iXhDOZZDl3

— Melbourne City FC (@MelbourneCity) 29 December 2017

Bruno Fornaroli’s long-term injury, Tim Cahill’s departure and questions over Ross McCormack’s fitness drew Joyce to sign the 30-year-old, who has been a part of two World Cup squads.

Malik said McCormack — who helped transform City’s derby performance after coming on in the second half — was on track to play on New Year’s Day against Western Sydney.

“(In the first half) we had guys up front and doing jobs that maybe they weren’t usually doing,” Malik said.

“When (McCormack) came on he changed the game for us.

“I think he’ll be fit to play for sure and if he’s fit he’s definitely got to be in line to play.” Malik is off-contract himself and therefore in the gun for a move in January or at season’s end but the 27-year-old said “there’s no reason” he’d want to leave.