Football
AAP 8y

James Troisi returns to the Melbourne Victory after Liaoning Whowin release

Socceroo forward James Troisi has re-joined Melbourne Victory on a one-year deal in a major boost for the A-League powerhouse.

The dynamic forward was courted by several A-League clubs but chose to return to Victory for a simple reason.

"I was comfortable on and off the pitch," he said.

"I really enjoyed myself and when you enjoy yourself and you're physically being looked after, you'll play your best football."

Troisi says he understood he would be playing in his preferred No. 10 role, left vacant by departed Brazilian Gui Finkler.

Troisi hit his strides during his previous stint at the club, during the 2013-14 campaign.

He won the club's golden boot as Victory fought on two fronts but fell just short of an A-League Grand Final berth and Asian Champions League progression.

The form won him a move to Belgian club Zulte Waregem and catapulted the South Australian into Socceroos reckoning.

If the culmination of his form was scoring the winner in the 2015 Asian Cup final, there's been a lot of downhill since then.

A mega-money move to Saudi Arabia fell apart after a handful of matches, and he quickly found himself sidelined at Chinese Super League club Liaoning Whowin.

Combined with an ankle injury, Troisi has started just nine matches in the past 14 months and is eager to throw himself into another A-League campaign.

"It's fantastic to be back, there's a good bunch of boys here," he said.

"I can't wait to show the fans what I can do again.

"We'll definitely push for the title again this season."

Troisi is Victory's fourth signing of the offseason, after Spaniard Alan Baro, James Donachie and Mitch Austin.

Troisi has yet to be called up by Socceroos boss Ange Postecoglou this year but he stressed his decision to move was made with his club form in mind.

"For me this move is purely about playing football. In the back of my mind, the Socceroos are there," he said.

"I haven't been involved for a while but I'm pretty sure [Postecoglou will] be happy with this move."

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