With Daniel Arzani reportedly drawing interest from international clubs, aleagues.com.au takes a closer look at the Melbourne Victory and Socceroo forward’s current form and how he is ready to utilise his past experiences to his advantage.
Just as in football, life is about learning, and Arzani is a prime example of this philosophy.
The insights he has gained will serve him well if he decides to make another overseas move amidst the increasing speculation surrounding his future.
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Currently out of contract with Melbourne Victory, Arzani has been rumoured to be on the move to Scottish Premiership side Hearts, offering him the chance to join fellow Australians and former Isuzu UTE A-League players Cam Devlin and Calem Nieuwenhof.
This move would signify another attempt in Europe for Arzani, following a challenging prior stint. In 2018, he joined Manchester City before being loaned to the Scottish giants Celtic, where an unfortunate anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury marred his debut.
Subsequently, he found himself moving between clubs, seeking playing time and regaining confidence through spells in the Netherlands with FC Utrecht, in Denmark with AGF Aarhus, and at SK Lommel in Belgium — another City Football Group (CFG) affiliate — but witnessed limited success.
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Before the conclusion of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season, Arzani — who Melbourne Victory captain Roderick Miranda described as the “most talented Australian player I’ve witnessed” — candidly reflected on his European experience and how he would approach a future move.
“My time overseas was incredibly disappointing and felt like a significant waste. Being signed to City and constantly shuffling through these five- or six-month loan deals didn’t do me any favours,” Arzani shared with Total A-Leagues.
“It’s hard to walk into teams and start delivering after just five months. You end up being on the bench or not feel valued at the club.”
“Should I make that move again, I hope it would be a permanent transfer to ensure I’m given a real opportunity.”
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Arzani’s remarks are particularly significant now as he appears poised to venture back to Europe.
His prior experiences, alongside his impressive performances in the A-Leagues, position him well for success abroad.
At 26, Arzani has played an integral role in Victory’s consecutive Grand Final runs. Despite falling short in their quest for trophies, his journey has fostered growth.
He has evolved into a much more rounded footballer.
Arzani’s influence extends well beyond mere goals and assists; he’s developed a stronger defensive aspect to his game.
Since Socceroos coach Tony Popovic set a challenge late last year, urging Arzani to elevate his performance to secure a position in the national squad, he has risen to the occasion.
Once heralded as the next big thing in Australian football, Arzani has taken this guidance seriously and has not looked back since, consistently delivering exceptional form that led to consecutive national team selections.
His statistics speak volumes. He concluded the season as the top player in the A-Leagues for completed dribbles, take-ons in the opposition box, and take-ons in the opponent’s half. Notably, he also led in tackles and tackles won among forwards during the 2024-25 season.
Arzani ranked second in duels and duels won, and first in total carries and carry distance among forwards.
“I believe he recognised that I needed a bit of a kick up the backside at that point,” Arzani reflected on Popovic’s remarks.
“His intentions were positive, and honestly, it helped me in the long run.”
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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