Socceroos winger Chris Ikonomidis has joined Melbourne Victory's A-League rebuild, signing a three-year deal with the fallen powerhouse.
The 26-year-old, whose exit from Perth Glory was confirmed earlier this year, had reportedly been offered a big-money deal from former club Western Sydney but opted to link-up with new Victory coach Tony Popovic.
The pair worked together during Popovic's stint as Glory boss in their 2018-19 premiership-winning campaign.
Ikonomidis joins fellow new faces Matthew Spiranovic, Jason Geria, Jason Davidson, Josh Brillante and Stefan Nigro as Popovic looks to restore Victory's fortunes following last season's wooden spoon campaign.
Spiranovic, Geria and Davidson were also part of Popovic's Glory squad and Ikonomidis said he was excited about restoring those partnerships on the pitch.
"It will be great to get out on the pitch with them again as well as the larger team," he said.
"One of the key reasons for my move to Melbourne Victory was the chance to play under the boss again.
"I know how he likes to operate and his expectations, and I am confident I can work with and deliver on both."
Ikonomidis recently returned to the Socceroos setup after a lengthy absence due to an ACL injury.
Having made his A-League debut at the Wanderers during a loan spell from Italian giants Lazio in 2018, Ikonomidis joined the Glory later that year and made 41 appearances, scoring 16 goals.
Experienced winger Robbie Kruse has also committed to Victory for the 2021-22 campaign, extending his second stint at the club into a third season.
The former Socceroos attacker, capped 75 times by Australia, said Popovic's new era had him excited about what they could achieve next season.
"Tony Popovic and I spoke about the role I can play and how I can contribute to the success of Melbourne Victory this season and I am excited about the opportunity," Kruse said.
"I know the squad and coaches are already planning for the year ahead and I want to be a part of getting Melbourne Victory back to where we should be for our fans and members."
