WANDERERS coach Tony Popovic has offered Socceroos striker Nikita Rukavytsya the chance to return to the A-League and escape his exile in Germany.

But the 27-year-old is also mulling over a substantial offer to return to hometown club Perth Glory as the club’s Australian marquee, aware that switching back to the A-League is likely to mark the end of his European career.

The Ukrainian-born striker has been on the outer at Mainz 05 in Germany’s Bundesliga, with new coach Kasper Hjulmand having made it clear he does not figure in the club’s plans.

Having missed out on fellow Socceroo James Troisi, Popovic has offered a deal to Rukavytsya as his final signing of the new campaign, with the A-League transfer window open until October 22.

But he has also made clear that he will not increase his offer and be drawn into an auction with Perth, maintaining a hard line stance with contract negotiations on the basis that Western Sydney’s record should be a draw in itself.

media_camera Nikita Rukavytsya has fallen out of favour at Mainz 05 and is wanted by the Wanderers and Glory.

With 13 national caps and the ability to play through the centre as a striker or on the left wing, Rukavytsya would suit Popovic’s tactical template — and add remarkable speed to Western Sydney’s attacking threat.

The forward broke into the Perth side as a 19-year-old and switched initially to FC Twente in Holland in 2009, before signing for Hertha Berlin in 2010.

Despite Mainz then signing him in 2012 for 1 million euros, he has made just a handful of appearances for the club, being sent out on a year-long loan spell at FSV Frankfurt in the Bundesliga’s second division last season.

Earlier this year he had a week-long trial with Israeli champions Maccabi Tel Aviv, playing in a friendly, but was unable to reach agreement on a deal.

Perth boss Kenny Lowe has made a concerted pitch to Rukavytsya, offering the chance of a return to the city where he first settled in Australia as a 14-year-old, and to a club where he scoring 16 goals in 42 A-League games.

Glory have been targeting a marquee striker to play with new imports Youssouf Hersi and Andy Keogh, after recording the A-League’s lowest scoring record last season — just 28 goals in 27 games. Last year’s leading scorers, Shane Smeltz and Steven McGarry, have both left the club.

Meanwhile it’s believed that Socceroos Curtis Good and Adam Taggart are open to the idea of short-term loan moves back to the A-League as they near recovery from respective injuries.

Good missed the World Cup after picking up a hip injury in March that eventually required surgery, and hopes to be fully fit by the end of the month.

But that would give him just two months to be fit for the Asian Cup in January, with playing opportunities at Newcastle United likely to be extremely limited.

Taggart meanwhile injured his groin in pre-season with new club Fulham, and only started running again three weeks ago.

It’s believed both would consider loan deals to get playing time ahead of the Asian Cup.