Abu Dhabi: Socceroos star and Melbourne Victory skipper Mark Milligan has signed a two-year deal with the Abu Dhabi-based club Bani Yas.
Bani Yas posted a picture of Milligan shaking hands with a club official on their twitter account on Tuesday, confirming the deal. A press conference is also expected to be held sometime this week.
Milligan, who led Melbourne Victory to the title in the A-League, reportedly was bagged for a purse of A$1 million (Dh2.875 million). Bani Yas had a forgettable season where they finished eighth and are clearly looking for a major revamp.
Bani Yas have been chasing Milligan for quite a while now. In June 2013, Milligan had turned down an offer from Bani Yas and again in January 2014 the Abu Dhabi club pulled out of negotiations.
After Milligan’s side beat Sydney FC 3-0 in the A-League grand final last month, he had hinted about the move saying: “It’s like anything, you always want to challenge yourself, whether it be at a professional level, sporting level or life in general. I’m very happy at Melbourne; we’ve had a great year, a very successful year. I’ve made it very clear that my family is enjoying it here, but you never know what’s around the corner.”
The 29-year-old, who was also a key member of the Australian national team that won the Asian Cup campaign in January, also went on to add that he wanted to make sure he was in the best place to continue playing football. “I’m enjoying it and want to make sure that I’m playing for as long as possible,” revealed the defensive midfielder who has represented Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets besides serving stints with Japan’s JEF United and Chinese Super League club Shanghai Shenhua.
Another big name that Bani Yas are gunning for is Brazilian sensation Robinho, who is currently on national duty at the ongoing Copa America. If Bani Yas manage to get that deal through, it will be a watershed moment for the club and the UAE as a whole. The progress on that important signing will only be known after the Copa America tournament.
Meanwhile, Bani Yas have already released their Argentinian striker Denis Stracqualursi and Imad Khalil. Though there is still uncertainty surrounding Spaniard Angel Dealbert’s availability for the next season, his compatriot and playmaker Joan Verdu is expected to continue for another season.
