Adelaide United’s star performer Craig Goodwin is tipped to join one of East Asia’s biggest league clubs this month, leaving coach Marco Kurz’s side in a precarious position as the Reds fight for the championship.
Goodwin, 27, is understood to be close to securing a transfer deal during this current FIFA transfer window, eight months after returning to the Reds following a two-year stint with Holland’s Sparta Rotterdam.
A club spokesman said today the Reds have had no interest from any clubs in regard to Goodwin.
His transfer fee could see the club earn about $450,000 from the pending sale — the amount believed to be written in his outclause when he penned a three-year deal last year.
Clubs from Japan’s J-League, China’s Super League and South Korea’s K-League have all shown interest in the Reds key performer.
Goodwin has scored 12 goals in 19 matches and been credited with four assists in the A-League and FFA Cup this season.
He was tipped to rejoin his former Victorian Oakleigh Cannons coach Arthur Pappas in Japan.
Pappas is former Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou’s assistant at Yokohama F Marinos.
Postecoglou gave Goodwin Socceroos game time after he made his debut under former German Australia coach Holger Osieck in 2013.
It was also believed Sanfrecce Hiroshima, where ex Melbourne Victory striker Besart Berisha has been playing since last year, had Goodwin on its radar.
However, a Japanese soccer official, who wished to remain anonymous claimed: “It’s not Hiroshima that’s after him,’’ he said.
“Instead it could be a South Korean club, it could be Suwon (Bluewings).”
J-League clubs from this season no longer have limits as to how many foreigners can be signed but only five can be listed on an official match day team sheet.
Chinese Super League clubs can register six imports, all allowed on match day team sheets.
The K-League can register four imports per club.
The current FIFA transfer window of China closes February 28, Japan on March, 29 and South Korea closes on March 22.
Australia’s closes on January 31.
Goodwin is looming to be the second player to leave Adelaide during the A-League’s transfer window.
Taylor Regan left the Reds earlier this month, paying his own $50,000 transfer fee to join Malaysia’s Selangor.
Adelaide’s former German attacking midfielder Daniel Adlung was keen to return to United during this transfer window but talks are no longer progressing.
Kurz also intimated a striker and centre back were atop of his transfer window wishlist this month but it appears the German has not been given a budget from his club’s superiors to even consider which players to sign.
It’s understood winger Nikola Mileusnic had all but secured a new club next season as young striker Aposotolos Stamatelopoulos edges closer to becoming a signing for new A-League team Western Melbourne.
Isaac Richards was also on the new Victorian club’s radar but unless the Red release him from his contract it appears the goalkeeper will stay put.
