Eli Babalj is set to debut for Red Star Belgrade against Bordeaux after Melbourne Heart received their final payment for the striker.
Speaking to Goal.com on Tuesday, Heart football operations manager John Didulica had dispelled rumours Babalj could return to the A-League club after the resignation of Red Star manager Robert Prosinecki on Monday.
Reports had claimed Serbian SuperLiga powerhouse Red Star were having trouble meeting the terms of the transfer, but Didulica revealed there had been just one outstanding payment left in the transfer of the 20-year-old forward.
Heart chief executive officer Scott Munn took to Twitter on Wednesday to confirm Babalj’s transfer had been processed, with Red Star’s new number nine now free to debut in the Europe League play-off round against Ligue 1 side Bordeaux on Thursday.
“Confirming we have approved transfer of Eli this afternoon. Pretty confident he will debut for Red Star tomorrow night,” Munn wrote on Twitter.
Heart’s leading scorer in the 2011/12 campaign, Babalj’s move to Red Star – reportedly for a sum of AU$600,000 – was announced on June 7.
Born in Sarajevo, the 194cm striker has been likened to former Socceroo Mark Viduka and has represented Australia at Under-20 level.
