FORMER Roar prodigy David Williams could return to Brisbane next season in keeping with the A-League leaders’ ‘buy back the farm’ mantra.

With his Melbourne Heart contract expiring at the end of the season, the in-form Williams is up for grabs.

Roar coach Mike Mulvey yesterday remained tight-lipped on Brisbane’s interest in bringing Williams home, but did not hide his admiration for the soon-to-be 26-year-old attacker, who has scored five goals in his past three A-League matches.

“I am aware he is off contract at the end of the season,” Mulvey said.

“David’s a Queenslander. He came through the QAS (Queensland Academy of Sport) system, he’s a good boy and he’s a dangerous player.

“He’s a very intelligent footballer. I do rate him highly.”

The Heart, now owned almost entirely by English Premier League giants Manchester City, are yet to offer Williams a deal for next season.

Mulvey and Brisbane officials have never hidden their desire to have former Roar players and Queenslanders who are based elsewhere come home.

Brisbane’s current squad includes three players in their second stints at the club – favourite son Matt McKay, Canberra-born former Gold Coast United midfielder Steve Lustica, and Costa Rican attacker Jean Carlos Solorzano.

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Mulvey’s squad also contains former Brisbane Strikers pair Jade North and Shane Stefanutto, who grew up in Queensland before enjoying stints overseas and at other A-League clubs prior to joining the Roar.

Brisbane-born Williams played two A-League matches for the Roar as a 17-year-old in 2006 before signing a three-year deal with Danish giants Brondby.

After scoring four goals in 34 appearances for Brondby, he returned to Australia in 2009 to join then A-League club North Queensland Fury.

Williams, who has represented Australia at under-17, under-19, under-23 and senior levels, also had a short spell at Sydney FC before joining the Heart in 2011.

The Mitchelton junior has scored 15 goals in 57 appearances for the Heart, with nine coming this season.

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It is a tally that has leading the race for this season’s Golden Boot with Stein Huysegems (Wellington), Adam Taggard (Newcastle) and James Troisi (Melbourne Victory).

His rich vein of form is also certain to have caught the attention of Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou, who is an unabashed fan of Williams.

But while Williams is on Brisbane’s radar for next season, on Sunday he is the Roar’s enemy when Mulvey’s men visit AAMI Park to take on the Heart.

There are 20 points separating the first-placed Roar and the last-placed Heart, but it is the Melbourne team who are the form team of the competition with four wins from their past five matches.

In contrast, the Roar are without a win in their past two games and were ordinary in their shock 1-0 home loss to the lowly Newcastle last Sunday.

“We need to bounce back after last week,” Mulvey said.

McKay and former Irish international Liam Miller are set to return to Brisbane’s starting side, most likely at the expense of Lustica and Diogo Ferreira.