Having quit Victory in May after 14 success-saturated years as both a player and coach, Muscat, 46, has been exploring overseas options and was close to taking the reins at Championship side Millwall.

Though he missed out on that occasion, he has backed himself to find a club willing to take a calculated risk, with mid-table Sint-Truiden seemingly ready to roll the dice.

Currently on their winter break, the Japanese-owned club return to league action on January 19 (AEDT) at home to 12th-placed Kortrijk in what would likely be Muscat’s first game involved.

Though not among Belgium football’s elite, STVV have ambitions to rise above their modest means, and chairman David Meekers believes Muscat might be the man to instil a winning ethos at a club yet to win anything since the Belgium League Cup back in 1998.

Sint-Truiden sacked head coach Marc Brys back in November after an indifferent run, installing youth team chief Nicky Hayen as his successor in a caretaker capacity.

Muscat is likely to be handed a technical role as the club looks to lean on his expertise.

Where that might lead to beyond this season, in terms of his position at the club, is open to conjecture.

They’ve been back in the top division since 2015 and Muscat, if confirmed in the role, will be looking to make the same sort of impact his former Victory mentor Ange Postecoglou has made at J1 League champions Yokohama F. Marinos.

As a player, Muscat led Victory to the 2007 and 2009 titles, and masterminded the 2015 and 2018 triumphs as coach.