Ryan is presently holidaying back in Sydney, where he grew up. The Socceroos goal-keeper is preparing as if he will be continuing to play in the Belgian league in the upcoming season.

It is only a matter of time until the 23 year-old moves to one of the major European leagues, but he is comfortable waiting until the right opportunity comes along because he believes it will be easy to identify when it does.

"I've got something written into my contract so that if another club wants to sign me they're going to have to pay a (transfer) fee that tells me they really want me," Ryan said.

"It wouldn't just be me coming off contract and going to another club in a cheap way and not really knowing what they want to do with me.

"If a club comes in and pays the fee I'll know they really want me and that they want me to go there and be playing straight away. They're not going to pay this amount of money for me to go there and just not play, so that's the reasoning behind the contract."

It has been reported that a transfer fee due to Club Brugge from any club that signed Ryan would be close to $12 million.

In 2014 Ryan re-signed with Club Brugge until 2018. He said he agreed to the long-term deal to protect himself and also to ensure that the club which gave him his chance in Europe was rewarded if he left early.

He said he didn't want to risk going to a big club that didn't have to pay a sizeable transfer fee for him and might treat him as just another player meant to bulk up the squad who may or may not become a regular first-team player.

Ryan would only be interested in a club that had specifically identified him as its preferred goalkeeper.

"The way my contract is structured now, we've tried to stamp that out so that when it gets to the situation - and hopefully one day it will - where I can move to a bigger club, I'll know they really want me out there playing," he said.

"I definitely don't have the intention of moving away from Club Brugge at the risk of not playing. I want to be out there contributing and doing my best.

"I did this through my agent, Mikkel Beck, and with advice from not only him but also other people close to me who are educated in football and whose opinions I respect. My agent, I have full trust in him.

"Part of the reason I went to Club Brugge in the first place from Central Coast was because I knew it would be a great opportunity.

"We did our homework on the Belgian league and Club Brugge and found it was similar to Holland, where the clubs in the league really understand the selling price.

"That's how they operate over there. They love giving young guys a go in order to look at the business side of things, because they know that if a young kid is doing well the big clubs come circling and they're willing to pay fees in the millions of dollars to get them.

"That's how those clubs survive in Belgium and Holland, by making money from transfers. I went to Brugge because I knew it would be a great opportunity and if I leave I want it to be good for the club as well, financially.

"It's been going quite well so far, it's been going to plan you could say. If a club in a bigger, better league wants to come in and buy me off Club Brugge and offers more than what Brugge can offer, I'm an ambitious athlete.

"People want to get to the top and be the best they can at whatever they're good at, whether it's in a normal, nine-to-five job or as a professional athlete, and I'm no different."

Ryan said he was enjoying catching up with family and friends on his break and would soon go back to Belgium feeling refreshed and ready to improve on what he had done so far.

"I've learned from my experiences in football to date," he said. "You try to employ the right people to worry about all these stressful situations, with negotiations, and ultimately you concentrate on that round ball on the pitch and trying to keep it from going past you.

"I feel pretty confident I've got the right team behind me that helps me play to the best of my ability.

"I played a lot of games last season and it was another learning curve for me, to adjust my training and make sure I'm doing everything right when it comes to sleeping and eating. I love learning and trying to make myself better and more consistent.

"I've got to let my career take its natural course. If a move is meant to happen, it will happen.

"All you can do is look at the cold, hard facts of every situation and if there's what looks like a good opportunity for me to leave the club I'll sit down with my team of people and decide whether it's the right move or not.

"I've had two wonderful years at Club Brugge already and every year we're achieving more and more. I'm really excited to stay another season there and hopefully achieve more success."

*Check out The World Game website on Monday for a "Mr Personality" interview with Mat Ryan in which he gives a fascinating insight into what motivates him, how he has made it this far and what he hopes the future holds for him. Plus, why he'll never forget his western Sydney roots.