Melbourne City have announced the loan signing of £12 million Scotland international Ross McCormack from Aston Villa to ensure their A-League title hopes aren't wrecked by Bruno Fornaroli's absence.
Warren Joyce's side confirmed the injury replacement signing, subject to a medical, of McCormack on Friday. The 31-year-old forward will land in Melbourne on Monday and will be eligible to play for as long as Fornaroli, who suffered an ankle injury last month in the FFA Cup, is sidelined.
Last season's A-League Golden Boot winner is expected to be out until at least Christmas, meaning McCormack is likely to return to Villa in January.
"We were proactive in immediately seeking out a replacement and having seen Ross' performances, we believe he can provide an avenue and a strong attacking option for us," Joyce said.
"I'm sure the fans will be excited by Ross' potential and we hope to get him right and available as soon as possible."
McCormack brings a wealth of experience to the league, but is not without baggage.
The 13-cap international joined Villa from Fulham at the start of the 2016-17 season in the hope of winning promotion back to the Premier League. He flopped, scoring just three times in 20 appearances, and was fined and dropped for poor discipline after missing training on several occasions.
Citing fitness and attitude issues, Villa manager Steve Bruce moved him on loan to fellow Championship club Nottingham Forest in January, where he scored just once in seven outings. He was not included in the Villa squad for this season.
McCormack last started a match in March, but pending his medical, could be thrown in to lead the line for City in next week's season opener against Brisbane on Friday night.
"I'm here to do a job for the team, support my teammates, work hard for the manager and represent the club in the right manner," McCormack said.
"Hopefully I can show the fans what I can offer the team, and I'm very excited about being able to represent this city and its fans."