Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has endorsed James Troisi's transfer to Saudi Arabian heavyweights Al-Ittihad after including the attacking midfielder in the latest national team squad.
Troisi has endured a nomadic existence in recent years, spending the 2013-14 season on loan at Melbourne Victory, before playing for Zulte Waregem last term while remaining contracted to Serie A champions Juventus.
The 27-year-old, who came off the bench to score the winning extra-time goal in Australia's Asian Cup final victory over South Korea, signed for Al-Ittihad in August and has already made his debut for the Saudi Premier League powerhouse.
Australian footballers have experienced mixed fortunes in the Middle East, with Mark Bresciano – now retired from international football - continuing to feature for the national team during his time at Al Gharafa in Qatar.
Brett Holman's decision to leave Aston Villa for Al Nasr in June 2013, while at the peak of his career, drew widespread condemnation and was followed 11 months later by the ex-Eredivisie star calling time on his career in the green and gold.
It remains to be seen what impact Troisi's latest move will have on his national team fortunes, but it hasn't prevented the exciting attacker from being named in the squad to face Jordan away from home in World Cup qualifying on October 8.
"Every move has its difficult and risk," Postecoglou told a press conference in Melbourne on Wednesday.
"I'm relying on the players making decisions that are best for their careers. He's gone to a big club, I know that. There's big expectations at the club he's at.
"He's still very much in the frame. His fitness is at a level where he's getting closer to where we want him to be. But again, he'll be judged on form.
"Every move that the players make, sometimes can be a risky one, but ultimately the measure will be how they perform."
Australia have won all three matches so far in the second round of AFC qualifying for the World Cup and will look in their next match to exact revenge for the 2-1 defeat they suffered away to Jordan under Holger Osieck in September 2012.