Sydney FC will allow star goalkeeper Danny Vukovic to leave the club and pursue a dream move to Europe after agreeing terms with Belgian club Genk for the sale of their grand final hero.
The Sky Blues preference was to retain Vukovic but granted the 32-year-old his request to play in Europe for the first time in his career and accepted a club-record transfer fee from Genk.
It's understood the Sky Blues will receive nearly $1 million for the sale of Vukovic who was crowned the A-League goalkeeper of the year. Vukovic earned a first call-up to the Socceroos squad on the back of his form with Sydney FC and is part of the Australia team in Russia for the 2017 Confederations Cup. Vukovic is set to join Genk after the tournament where he will likely become their first-choice goalkeeper.
"I'm very sad to leave but to have such an unbelievable opportunity so late in my career is something that I just couldn't turn down," Vukovic said. "It has been an amazing 12 months for me and my family, a year I will always remember, and I would like to thank the members and everyone at the club for an unforgettable experience."
Vukovic signed with Turkish club Konyaspor in 2010 but had his contract abruptly terminated six weeks and never played a game, meaning Genk will present his first chance to play European football.
Mat Ryan, Australia's starting goalkeeper in Russia, spent six months at Genk last season on loan from Valencia, before sealing a permanent transfer to newly promoted English Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.
This story first appeared on the Sydney Morning Herald website.