After bringing the likes of Tim Cahill, David Villa and Nicolas Colazo to the A-League, Melbourne City's newest marquee is set to be one that flies underneath the radar. Reports from sources suggest the cashed-up club are on the cusp of signing well-travelled Croatian attacking midfielder Antun Palic as a marquee for next season. 

The 29-year-old former Croatian youth international is emerging as the man most likely to replace Argentinian Nicolas Colazo as Melbourne City's marquee and a deal could be finalised as early as this week. 

It's understood the club's priority during the off-season was to sign an attacking midfielder to provide more service to the likes of Bruno Fornaroli while replacing the departure of former playmaker, Anthony Caceres. Sources suggest the club was not in the market to sign a high-profile marquee despite the riches on offer from City Football Group - its parent company and was looking for a player at the peak of his career whilst being affordable. Palic is on the cusp of becoming that signing as a free agent after parting ways with Romanian giant Dinamo Bucharest in July. He spent the past two seasons with the club, making 41 appearances, scoring three times whilst providing 14 assists. Palic is somewhat of a journeyman having played previously in Slovenia with Krka, Thailand during a brief spell with Bangkok United, Cyprus at AEK Larnaca and his home country. Palic had a short stint at Croatian powerhouse Dinamo Zagreb but spent the bulk of his career at smaller clubs such as Inter Zapresic, Sesvete and NK Zagreb. He made at appearance for Croatia's youth teams but is yet to break into their senior squad. Primarily a no.10 who plays centrally, Palic has also played as a deep lying playmaker as well as a left winger but it's likely he will play his natural position should he sign for City. 

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/melbourne-city-close-to-signing-aleague-marquee-croatian-antun-palic-20170813-gxv8xe.html

City always know how to disappoint signing wise.

His CV seems pretty underwhelming for a marquee signing especially for City

Thank God he's under 30, that's all that matters ...

'He is yet to break into the Croatian senior squad'
I'm sure a stint with heart will get him right into contention hahahha

no source quoted?

because it's based on tweets.  about as reliable as the imminent zlatan signing.  at least the bookies are taking bets on zlatan coming to melbourne. 

A club with the resources of Melbourne city shouldn't be using a marquee spot on a player like this. As a regular visa player he would be a somewhat decent signing but as marquee extremely underwhelming. Having said that I always hope the foreigners who come here do well and bring quality and add to the league.

One club theyve bought in designated players of Pirlo, Villa and an ex-Argentinian international. Another they might have Fornaroli and this guy. Whilst Fornaroli is warranted it speaks volumes about how they see the club. 

Would have been really nice if they chucked some of the money they got from Mooy, even a few mil of it, on a class marquee. This guy has a career thats least marquee worthy than Holosko, Bobo, either of the Wanderers new signings and even Adrian Mierzejewski, whos not a marquee, has had a fair better resume than this guy.

Melbourne City got nothing for Mooy 

CFG not about to bolster the FFA owned HAL 

Now they've paid for TC to get skyblue why not ?

Time to let the value rundown and reduce the Independent A-league license fee

Pretty obvious that Im talking about the City group

Damn, no Zlatan 

I forgot that David Villa has Melb City on his CV...

City again putting together an underwhelming squad. 

Who?

I find it sad that city group haven't invested more into Melb city's playing roster after the sale of mooy. Mooys sale highlights what city group plan to do with these clubs in emerging football zones. As such I feel a reinvestment was warranted seeing as mooy is so far the best and most expensive sale from city group clubs, excluding ofcourse man city.

They need to do better than this for marquees. A player database that man city have I'm sure they could find a ex epl or top 3 league player who has represented his country willing to come to the a league. Melbournes stabdard of living is the among the highest in the world, and the time the a league runs weather wise is the best time in Aus. Convincing players to come play for Melb city should be the easiest of all a league clubs yet no real marquees other than villa. The amount of agents, players, coaches etc etc that city group would work/deal with would be incredibly high, better players are needed to be brought in.

What you reckon he would have included it? 

I know a lot of you are sticking the boot in for not signing Ronaldo just because they have the cash but CFG have actually spent a lot in facilities and other stuff that is frankly much better for the long term health of the game in this country. Just because CFG are filthy rich, doesn't mean they don't have a budget - I'd rather them spend $10 million on facilities or a kickass W-League team than $10 million on a single season player.

Just my 2c  - as long as this guy performs, then so what if he's not an ex-European star?

Why should they invest with the rubbish FFA is dishing out ?

Exactly! Spending big on a couple of players is just ludicrous wastage given the current set of of the FFA A League. 

You wouldn't invest a lot of money in players. 

Until the FFA rubbish is sorted,it makes no sense to splash the cash.
Don't forget Cahill is still there as a name marquee.

Most City fans couldn't give a rats proverbial about signing a name player as marquee and if 'prospective fans' didnt come because of Cahill and Villa then they wont come for anyone else. City just need to win, if they do that there is a plethora of fans that have dipped their toe in the water that will come back.
Palic seems to fit the bill as far exactly what we need position wise, whether he's up to it only time will tell. He's certainly had a ripping last couple of seasons and his assist record is exemplary, so I'd be trusting the CFG scouts that he'll be the right fit.

Where are these mystical fans you speak of?

^ lots of their 'fans' have dropped off. I reckon, just through my own football club and social circles I know of about 10 people who have given up on them. 

Wrongly or rightly, a lot were pretty put off by last years debacle of a season.

Yeah, I think though a lot of the damage was more done with Villa, management pretending he was there to play when it was really just a PR exercise. Put a lot offside

Yeh not sure what happened there tbh. I dont think the Melbourne side of the club knew it was coming either, they were blindsided from what ive heard and fully expected to have him for at least another month.
Still, CFG's fault at the end of the day and they'll have to wear that.

You beat me to it haha

that looks like an awful marquee if true....

cant have the main course without the entree first

Dont think anyone would be complaining too much if he came as a normal visa player but its a bit rich after the windfall they got from Mooy to be signing a player with as underwhelming a career. Im not expecting City to be signing Zlatan and Ibrahimovic as marquees with Neymar on cahill marquee but more they they bring decent players to the league and use their stature to sign marquess in similar vein to say the Holoskos, Wanderers Spanish marquees etc but maybe go a little bit above that. Say someone thats had a comparable career to Alvaro Cejudo but rather than 33 be say 29. Or if theyre 33 maybe a bit more prolific than say Oriel Riera.