TOWERING Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida has flagged a desire to play in the A-League.

Currently playing for relegation candidate Hannover 96 in Germany’s Bundesliga, the Portuguese international will be released from his two-year contract at the end of the season.

Almeida, 31, has played for Porto (when Jose Mourinho was in charge of the Portuguese club), Germany’s Werder Bremen and Turkey’s Besiktas, Italy’s Cesena and Russian clubs Kuban and Anzhi.

Alemeida has also represented Portugal at the 2008 UEFA Euro championship and the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup tournaments.

The Advertiser has also seen a copy of a lucrative Chinese club contract which Almeida rejected as the Portuguese sets his eyes upon a stint in the A-League.

The left footed striker is destined to attract marquee player status but The Advertiser understands his contract price is less than those commanded by two current marquee players who haven’t got the same standing in world football.

Melbourne-based agent Franjo Blazevic has the exclusive mandate for Almeida for the Australian market and expects him to be in demand.

“He fits in the Australian market really well,’’ Blazevic said.

“He’s an aggressive, very tall striker, can score goals with his head and feet. He has an aura about him in the game, he can bring so much to the game in Australia.

“He is right up there, as a very well known player who has made their mark in world football such as Dwight Yorke and Alessandro Del Piero.”

Almeida is on his way out of Hannover 96 after making the move from Anzhi during the FIFA transfer window in January.

He hasn’t been part of the regular starting XI since he was issued with a three-match ban for elbowing Augsburg’s Dominik Kohr in 1-0 defeat in late February.

But Almeida’s A-League revelation comes two days after Socceroos superstar Tim Cahill claimed he would contemplate A-League soccer once his contract ends with China’s Hangzhou Greentown.

Adelaide United chairman Greg Griffin said Cahill would probably be out of the club’s financial reach if the national team’s leading goalscorer did come home this year.