Celtic star Aaron Mooy has been ruled out of the Socceroos’ clash with Argentina in China next week, while fellow midfielder Ajdin Hrustic will be a late arrival in camp because of his Italian club’s battle to avoid relegation.
Australia’s squad for the clash against Lionel Messi’s world champions will be announced on Tuesday and it’s expected to feature a good mix of youth and experience.
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A back injury has hampered Mooy in the closing stages of Celtic’s treble-winning campaign and he took no part in the Hoops’ 3-1 weekend Scottish Cup final over Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
Hrustic, who had ankle surgery in January, was an unused substitute in his club team Hellas Verona’s 3-1 loss to AC Milan on Monday morning (AEST).
The defeat condemned Verona to a relegation playoff against Spezia this weekend at a neutral venue, where the loser will be demoted to the second tier of Italian football.
Following the game, Hrustic will head to China to link with the Socceroos squad ahead of Thursday week’s battle with the Argentines.
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The squad is also expected to include uncapped 19-year-old defender Alessandro Circati, who has reportedly pledged his allegiance to Australia after representing Italy’s under-20 team.
Born in Italy, Circati moved to Perth with his family when he was one before returning to his nation of birth in 2021 to join second-tier club Parma.
Others set to be named in the Graham Arnold-coached squad are A-League grand final hero Jason Cummings, who scored a hat-trick in Central Coast Mariners’ 6-1 demolition of Melbourne City, and City trio Mathew Leckie, Aiden O’Neill and Jordan Bos, who will leave the club in the off-season to join Belgian outfit Westerlo.
However, Cummings’ Mariners teammate, the uncapped Sam Silvera, is understood to have missed selection despite his own impressive grand final performance.
Western Sydney Wanderers star Brandon Borrello and Adelaide United skipper Craig Goodwin, the Johnny Warren medallist, are set to be named.
But City’s Marco Tilio and former Mariners prodigy Garang Kuol, who were both members of Australia’s World Cup squad last year in Qatar, won’t be named on Tuesday due to their current commitments with the Tony Vidmar-coached Olyroos in Europe.
