Melbourne City head coach Aurelio Vidmar has poured cold water over a report linking talisman Jamie Maclaren with a move to Japan.
As three-time reigning Isuzu UTE A-League premiers City prepare to host Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park on Thursday night, Maclaren’s future in Melbourne has made headlines online.
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A report out of Japan claimed J2 League outfit Fagiano Okayama – the former home of Australian pair Mitch Duke and Stefan Mauk in Japan’s second tier – are looking to sign the Socceroos forward.
Vidmar was asked about the speculation regarding the Isuzu UTE A-League’s all-time leading goalscorer and it caught him by surprise.
“Oh, really? That’s the first I’ve heard of it to be honest,” he responded on the eve of City’s Round 10 fixture.
“Got to go check the socials more then,” Vidmar laughed.
He added: “The speculation is the first I’ve heard of it so no idea where that’s come from.”
Maclaren has scored four goals in nine appearances this A-Leagues season, having tallied 24 from 29 games in 2022-23.
The 30-year-old forward, who missed out on selection for next month’s AFC Asian Cup in Qatar, has previously played abroad for Darmstadt 98 in Germany and Hibernian in Scotland before joining City in 2019.
