HARRY Kewell will take a $952,000 haircut if he joins Melbourne Heart.

The 34-year-old has all but agreed to play for Heart next season, 11 months after sensationally quitting Melbourne Victory for family reasons.



Having renegotiated a new deal after signing an incentive-based one in his first Victory season, Kewell walked away from $1m a season through to 2014.



Now Kewell is about to sign an A-League minimum wage agreement for $48,000.



Former Victory teammate Archie Thompson, who is in Japan with the Socceroos, revealed that Kewell had been in touch this week.



"I actually text him last night to see how he was and he text me back saying that I'll be back and we'll play golf soon," Thompson said yesterday.



"So whether that was an indication that he was going to sign at Heart, I hope so.



"I'd still like him to be at Victory because most of the players here think he's still got so much to offer.



"He's always controversial when it comes to his changing of clubs (laughs).



"You can't hate on him, he left for family reasons and you can't begrudge a player choosing family over football."



Kewell had hoped to sign with an English club to be close to his wife and ill mother-in-law but no firm offers eventuated.



After 10 months out of the game Kewell signed in Qatar in April, completing a six-week stint as injury replacement for Mark Bresciano at Al Gharafa, scoring one goal in five appearances.



Newcastle Jets were favourites to sign Kewell having remained in regular contact but seven months after he and coach John Aloisi met in Melbourne, the deal finally looks to be concluded.



Another Socceroos teammate Mark Milligan spent half a season with Kewell at Victory.



"It's not a massive surprise because we all know how much Harry loved being in Melbourne," Milligan said.



"It would definitely add to the rivalry but it's good for him and good for Australian football."



Thompson believes Kewell still has plenty to offer club and country.



"You couldn't judge him on that season because we were poor right across the park and the whole club was a debacle that year and it would've been hard for Messi to weave some magic that year," he said.



"You can't say that he's past it because towards the end of that season he was fit and starting to play some good football and I'm sure Ange (Postecoglou) would've loved him.



"So we want him to put kilometres in the legs because of the World Cup because he's a key player."

Originally published as Harry on verge of new A-League deal