Aston Villa forward Ross McCormack is on the verge of leaving the club on loan, according to Birmingham Live.
A temporary switch to A-League side Central Coast Mariners is reportedly on the cards for the 32-year-old, who has been frozen out by Villa boss Steve Bruce.
McCormack would become the second Villa player to leave for Australia since the beginning of the season after defender Ritchie De Laet joined Melbourne City on Thursday. The Scottish marksman had a spell on loan at Melbourne himself last season and will be looking to shine in Australia again if a move to the Mariners materialises.
The former Leeds United hitman joined from Fulham in August 2016 for a staggering £12m, but has struggled to make an impact at Villa Park. He infamously clashed with Bruce in January 2017 after missing training due to alleged issues with his home’s electric gates, something that Bruce was highly critical of at the time.
The Villains have made a slow start to the campaign, picking up just two wins from their opening seven league games. Their blushes were spared yesterday by midfielder Conor Hourihane, who netted a late equaliser to salvage a point against Blackburn Rovers.
Despite their recent struggles, McCormack has failed to make a single appearance and many would say that a departure would suit all parties. For Aston Villa it would rid them of both a player who doesn’t want to be at the club, and a wage off of the monthly bill. For Ross McCormack, it will give him the chance to start with a clean slate elsewhere.
