Matildas captain Lisa De Vanna is without a club in the wake of Melbourne City’s W-League triumph, with no plans to sign up anywhere soon. De Vanna, 31, has not committed to City for the club’s title defence.

She has yet to decide whether to submit her body to the rigours of a National Women’s Soccer League season in the United States – widely considered the world’s best women’s football league.

De Vanna performed heroics at the World Cup in Canada last June, captaining Australia in each match despite an ankle injury so severe she could barely train between matches. The mercurial forward has not enjoyed an injury-free W-League campaign and it’s those issues that are front of mind when considering her playing future.

“I haven’t decided where I want to go,” De Vanna told AAP. “Am I interested [in playing in America]? Yes and no. My concern is that I’m not 21 and they play on [artificial] turf. I have to think of a club where I’m going to get good football and they care about my body.”

De Vanna’s potential departure is a headache for City coach Joe Montemurro, who has already lost Scottish international Kim Little for next season.

De Vanna is open to staying within the City football family, and spending a season in the English Women’s Super League. But it’s Olympic qualifiers that are occupying her mind. The Matildas saddle up for do-or-die qualifiers in Japan beginning 29 February. Asia’s best six teams play a round-robin tournament, with the top three progressing to Brazil for the Games.

De Vanna, who left open the possibility of walking away from the game, said she will discuss her future with Australian coach Alen Stajcic.

“For me, there is nothing more important than qualifying for a major event like the Olympics,” she said. “It’d be nice to go to Manchester City and stay with an ally. I’m going to talk to Staj and he can tell me what he thinks because my priority is my country.”

De Vanna played a devastating hand in Melbourne City’s 4-1 grand final triumph against Sydney FC on Sunday. She played in Beattie Goad for the team’s third goal and finished the rout with a tearaway run and goal in injury time.

Perhaps surprisingly, she said the side’s grand final win wasn’t their finest accomplishment. “We talk about grand finals and winning it, of course that’s big,” she said. “The biggest thing is that we went through the season undefeated. The grand final was the icing on the cake. To finally be W-League champions is a great feeling.”