SYDNEY have added more strength to their midfield by securing young midfielder Anthony Kalik on a one-year loan from Croatian side Hadjuk Split.

Kalik, who was given a professional contract at the Mariners aged just 15 by current Sydney boss Graham Arnold four years ago, will offer cover for Sydney across several positions in midfield, and give the Sky Blues depth in the Asian Champions League.

When Arnold signed Kalik at the Mariners he became the youngest ever professional in the A-League, earning a contract after a brief trial following his graduation from the AIS.

The Australian U20 international was snapped up by Split in February last year after just 13 games at the Mariners, moving to Croatia initially on loan before earning a fulltime switch.

Though he played 11 times for the Split first team in his first season, the coach who signed him there, Damir Buric, was sacked almost immediately after the move was made permanent.

media_camera Anthony Kalik will return to the A-League to play with Sydney FC.

Since then Kalic has struggled for first-team action and largely been confined to the reserves.

Still aged only 19, Kalik becomes of the mandated three U20 players in Sydney’s squad, and follows the signings of Adrian Mierzejewsky, Alex Cisak and Luke Wilkshire for the A-League champions.

Meanwhile, Sydney’s FFA Cup quarterfinal against Melbourne City will be played at Leichhardt Oval, rather than Allianz Stadium, on September 13. Heidelberg United will face Adelaide United at Olympic Village in Victoria on the same night.

Western Sydney’s trip to face neighbours Blacktown City will be played a week later at Lily Homes Stadium, concurrent with Gold Coast City’s clash with South Melbourne.

Melbourne City will be without marquee striker Bruno Fornaroli until the new year after it was confirmed he had suffered a fractured ankle in Tuesday night’s Round of 16 win over Hakoah.