A BID for a South Sydney team has been announced as the A-League looks to expand as early as the 2018-19 season.

With as many as 10 proposals for a new licence, the “Southern Expansion” bid has been confirmed, with a team to be placed in the A-League, NYL and W-League should it be accepted by FFA.

Backed by a “high-profile consortium of business, football and community leaders” including Les Murray, Craig Foster, Chinese property giant JiaYuan Group will financially back the franchise to the tune of $12 million in bank guarantees.

COMPETITION: Expansion rivals respond to South Sydney bid

“This is a very exciting day in Australian football,” said iconic football commentator Les Murray. “What we have in mind is to bring best quality professional football to a vast, diverse region full of football tradition and history.

At launch of new A-League and W-League football club 'Southern Expansion' spearheaded by @LesMurray and @Craig_Foster pic.twitter.com/ytaQRmrdUy — Mark Bosnich (@TheRealBozza) March 6, 2017

“I have no doubt that the communities of Sydney’s southern reaches will be heavily enriched by having their own professional football club.

The bid has been boosted by three local football associations – St George, Sutherland and South Coast – coming together to support the bid, currently referred to as “Southern Expansion”.

Home games would be split between WIN Stadium (Wollongong), Shark Park (Cronulla) and Jubilee Oval (Kogarah) while JiaYuan Group look into building a boutique stadium to host the club.

Murray added: “We note and understand FFA’s preferred timing on expansion. We are not impatient and are content to wait until expansion is given the go-ahead.

“But when it does, we will be ready. We are also confident that a club from our vast market of fans and players will heavily benefit the existing A-League and W-League clubs in the transition process.”

The announcement of a South Sydney bid, backed by a Chinese investor, comes days after reported interest from Austrian energy drink Red Bull in launching an A-League team.

The Australian Financial Review reported on Saturday Red Bull would prefer to establish their own team as opposed to taking ownership of an existing team.

Chairman Steven Lowy told The AFR: “What the FFA has to do is come up with a structure that attracts more capital.

“We have to remember that after FFA was restructured in 2003 and 2004 – we achieved a lot of great things. Now is the time for the next phase.”

Lowy added: “We understand the need for a separate A-League, where there is some ownership for clubs but with close links to the FFA. I am looking at this as a businessman.

“I would really like them to have that opportunity to make money on having that asset, to sell their shares if they want and for owners of expansion teams to buy in. We can raise capital that way. But we need owners who are in the sport for the long term.”