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Other than clashes against Sydney FC and Macarthur FC late last year, featuring home-based players only, Graham Arnold’s team has been in mothballs since clinching qualification for the deferred Olympic Games last January.
But it’s understood Football Australia is poised to accept an invitation to play the friendlies in Jeddah during the March FIFA window in what would also act as a talent identification camp ahead of July’s Japan journey.
The Socceroos are scheduled to face Nepal in Kathmandu during the same window on March 30.
If that game goes ahead as planned, amid ongoing COVID-19 confusion, it’s likely Young Socceroos coach Gary van Egmond would take the reins in Jeddah.
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Already home to fellow Aussies Zach Duncan and Alex Gersbach, AGF’s interim football director Jesper Orskov - a former agent with close ties to Utrecht - is behind the move to bring the 22-year-old to the club which fellow Socceroo Mustafa Amini graced for four years.
Arzani has made just four league appearances since joining mid-table Utrecht on a season-long loan from Manchester City, with coach Rene Hake saying last week “It s clear that he doesn t meet our expectations”.
Struggling to fulfil the proclamations of promise which greeted his breakthrough for Melbourne City and his three FIFA World Cup cameos, Arzani desperately needs game time to recharge his stagnating career.