MELBOURNE Victory expects to know within 48 hours if it has successfully snared Michael Essien on a 12-month guest marquee deal.

Talks between Victory and Essien are ongoing, with the club having tabled a lucrative offer to the former Chelsea and Real Madrid midfielder subject to a medical.

Adelaide United appears to have won the race against Melbourne City for midfielder James Holland, with the fringe Socceroo believed to have agreed a two-year deal with the champions.

City is still awaiting a diagnosis on Ivan Franjic, who has been sidelined with inflammation around the heart.

media_camera Melbourne Victory will know soon if they have snared former Chelsea star Michael Essien.

Franjic has resumed a modified program but will have scans in a fortnight to determine whether he can resume running and training with the team.

City is otherwise full-strength for Wednesday night’s FFA Cup quarter-final tie with Western Sydney at AAMI Park, in Tim Cahill’s home debut.

Victory faces Bentleigh Greens at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex next Tuesday in its bid to defend its Cup crown.

Essien, who played for Greek giants Panathinaikos last season, won’t be available for the Bentleigh clash even if he signs with Victory.

It’s understood that coach Kevin Muscat has spoken to Essien and the Champions League winner is mulling over an offer.

Victory hope to have Essien, who’s been training with Chelsea’s reserves since July, available for their Round 1 visit to Brisbane Roar.

media_camera Melbourne City are still waiting on a diagnosis on defender Ivan Franjic.

Football Federation Australia approved Victory’s guest marquee request for Essien, meaning they will subsidise any deal from their $1m marquee fund. Cahill is the only player to have been signed under the new rule.

City midfielder Luke Brattan said they were primed for tomorrow’s sudden death clash, where they were aiming to be ruthless.

“I don’t know too much about last year but I know this year we’ve got a different mentality and the coaches are ramming that into us,’’ Brattan said.

“We want to kill off games and play the way we want to play. That’s started, we’ve done pretty well this pre-season, we’re extremely fit and looking sharp.

“It’s going to be our toughest test this pre-season and we’re taking the cup pretty seriously.

“They (the Wanderers) are going to be tough, but we’ll concentrate on ourselves and do the things we’ve been practising all pre-season.’’

City lost 4-0 to Newcastle Jets in a friendly in Ballarat on Sunday.