Melbourne Victory head coach Kevin Muscat says he won't try to sign Mark Schwarzer as the former Australia goalkeeper looks for a new club at the age of 43, after parting ways with English champions Leicester City.
But Muscat hasn't ruled out a bid for Schwarzer's former international teammate Brett Holman, a one-time midfielder at Aston Villa who played most recently with Emriates Club in the United Arab Emirates.
"No," Muscat replied on Melbourne radio station SEN when asked about the prospect of Schwarzer playing the next A-League season for Victory who are preparing to face Juventus in the International Champions Cup on Saturday.
The three-time A-League champions will need to strengthen their goalkeeping stocks after the departure this week of Danny Vukovic to Sydney FC due to personal reasons.
More Australia internationals are returning to play in Australia's domestic competition, with Neil Kilkenny (Melbourne City) and Josh Brillante (Sydney FC) signing deals this month and Tim Cahill reportedly close to agreeing terms with Melbourne City.
But other ex-Socceroos have struggled in their homecomings, including former national captain Lucas Neill and decorated midfielders Vince Grella and Brett Emerton, who failed to match their overseas achievements on domestic soil.
Last month, Schwarzer revealed that he was open to A-League offers after previously ruling out a move back to Australia. He had been linked with Perth Glory after winning his second straight English Premier League title, despite playing only a handful of games with both Chelsea and Leicester.
He told The World Game on SBS: "It keeps surprising me every year that I still have the enthusiasm and determination to keep going, but it's still there."
As for changing his mind about playing in the A-League, Schwarzer added: "In life you have to possibly never say never.
"When I said what I said, it was how I felt at the time... but in hindsight it wasn't probably the smartest thing to say."
As for a bid for Holman, who scored two goals for the Socceroos in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Muscat is open to the idea. The 32-year-old attacking midfielder is looking to return home after almost a decade and a half abroad.
"There are a number of things we have identified at the moment and we are filtering through them. There are some exciting prospects," Muscat said.
"The number one thing is the salary cap and we have to work within that."
Melbourne Victory finished sixth in the 2015-16 A-League season and advanced to the round of 16 of the AFC Champions League before losing 3-2 to Korea's Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, over two legs, in May.
They begin their 2016-17 A-League campaign with an away match against Brisbane Roar on Oct. 7.