An “emotional” Jamie Maclaren will depart the A-League at the end of Melbourne City’s finals campaign, with India mooted as the star striker’s likely destination.
City announced on Tuesday that Maclaren, the A-League’s all-time leading scorer with 154 goals from 232 appearances, was leaving the club to “pursue an opportunity” outside the A-League.
Sources have suggested that the 30-year-old marksman is headed for the Indian Super League to accept a deal far more lucrative than what City would have offered him to sign a new contract with the Melbourne club.
“It’s a bittersweet moment for me to leave the club that I’ve called home for the past 5½ years,” said Maclaren, who has netted 115 goals in 163 appearances in all competitions for City after joining them in January 2019 following stints in Europe with Darmstadt 98 (Germany) and Hibernian (Scotland).
“Driving in to (the club) today I was a little bit emotional. It’s been a long time. This place feels like home.
“(There) are a lot of good memories, (and) a lot of bad ones, but that’s part of being a team and a club that has such high standards.”
Four of Maclaren’s five A-League Golden Boot awards have come during his time with City, where he also was part of three premiership-winning outfits and the club’s 2021 championship-winning squad, although he didn’t play in City’s 3-1 grand final win over Sydney FC due to being in quarantine following Socceroos commitments in Asia.
He scored in City’s 1-0 weekend win over Western United to ensure the club would again be playing finals football.
However, the pressure of captaining City this season has seemed to have affected Maclaren, whose 10-goal haul is well below his tallies from recent years.
The former Perth Glory and Brisbane Roar attacker also lost his Socceroos place this season after not being named in Australia’s squad for the Asian Cup in January-February.
However, with two goals in his past three club matches, Maclaren has found form ahead of City’s A-League elimination final with arch rivals Melbourne Victory on Sunday at AAMI Park.
“It’s going to be a cracking game,” he said.
“We want the crowd to be there and be up and about.”
City’s director of football Michael Petrillo said Maclaren would leave the club as a “legend”.
“Jamie embodies everything we stand for as a club,” Petrillo said.
“He’s been an outstanding footballer for us and an exceptional role model for his teammates and young fans.
“On the pitch, his name will remain in the record books forever. Not only is he the league’s greatest ever goalscorer, but he also made an enormous contribution to our men’s team during their most successful period.”