Daniel Bogdanovic's roller-coaster career could take him to a new destination next season after it emerged that a club from Cyprus have expressed interest in signing him.
The Times has confirmed that Bogdanovic is a target for Akritas who finished 10th in Cyprus's 14-team First Division last season.
Bogdanovic, one of the most talented players in Malta but whose short temperament has often landed him in trouble, has already had a medical with Akritas during a short two-day visit to Cyprus earlier this month.
The 26-year-old striker is believed to be keen on joining Akritas but for such a transfer to materialise, his suitors must reach an agreement with Marsaxlokk FC.
After spending most of season 2004-2005 with former Gozo champions Ghajnsielem, Bogdanovic made his expected return to the Premier League last summer after sealing a one-year loan deal with Sliema Wanderers.
Bogdanovic enjoyed an excellent start to his second stint at the club but amidst the Blues' difficulties to keep up their early momentum, his rapport with the coaches as well as some of his team-mates deteriorated.
The final straw came last month when Sliema ditched Bogdanovic after he reacted badly to being substituted in the side's 2-1 victory over Valletta, incidentally one of the former clubs of the Serbian-born striker.
Bogdanovic was widely tipped to return to Marsaxlokk next season before Akritas entered the frame.
Contacted by The Times, Victor Sciriha, the Marsaxlokk supremo, said there were no offers so far.
"I've been told that Bogdanovic is wanted by a foreign club but we haven't heard anything from abroad as yet," Sciriha said.
"Bogdanovic himself informed me that he had an offer to play in Cyprus. All I can say at this stage is that I will not stand in his way if he has an offer to play abroad but we'll have to wait and see."
Sciriha made it clear that he expected Bogdanovic and David Camilleri, another Marsaxlokk player who was loaned out to Hibs last season, to be in the southerners' squad for their UEFA Intertoto Cup first round match next month.
Marsaxlokk secured a berth in the summer competition after finishing third in the Premier League, only one point behind runners-up Sliema Wanderers.
They entertained high hopes of squeezing their way into the UEFA Cup through the backdoor but their optimism was crushed when the Wanderers and champions Birkir-kara failed to advance to the FA Trophy final after losing to Floriana and Hibernians respectively.
Confirmation of Marsaxlokk's status as Malta's flag-bearers in the Intertoto Cup triggered another dilemma for the club administrators as to who will lead the side for their matches in Europe.
After Marsaxlokk dispensed with the services of Atanas Marinov in October, they installed Ray Farrugia and Oliver Spiteri as coaches until the end of the season.
In the final weeks of last season, Marsaxlokk let it be known that they had fruitful discussions with Englishman Brian Talbot, who had a successful time with Hibernians in the 90s, to take over their team from the start of next season.
Talbot contract and new foreign players
Sciriha yesterday said that Talbot has signed a two-year contract with Marsaxlokk but he will not be available for the Intertoto Cup.
With Marsaxlokk due to resume training on Monday, Sciriha has already sounded out Farrugia over the possibility of coaching the team for their two-legged clash against Bosnian opposition, most probably NK Zrinjski who finished third in their domestic league.
Meanwhile, Marsaxlokk are also looking to engage two new foreign players after they decided not to renew the contracts of Portuguese defender Nuno Gomes and Wendell Gomes, the Brazilian striker who was their top scorer last season with 14 goals.
Andre Rocha Da Silva, the Brazilian midfielder who turned out for Tarxien Rainbows in the Division One league last season, will be a Marsaxlokk player next season.
Da Silva signed a pre-contract deal with Marsaxlokk last summer after being released by Floriana.
At the time, Marsaxlokk had already filled their quota of three foreign players.
Marsaxlokk effectively relied on two overseas players last season after parting company with English defender Chris Bart-Williams barely two months into the Premier League campaign.