After his loan period with Japanese club Vegalta Sendai and the transfer of licence at Central Coast Mariners, McGlinchey, backed by Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), attempted to sign for Wellington Phoenix, believeing he was a free agent.

The Mariners disputed the propsed move, claiming the midfielder remains contracted to them having been bound by the contract he originally signed with the club. The matter is expected to be resolved by Football Federation Australia at an arbitration hearing on Tuesday.

Sources close to the A-League club confirmed to The World Game a deal has been done for Vernes, who will link up with Phil Moss's team should McGlinchey be cleared to take up his deal at Phoenix.

Vernes, who plays for Budapest Honved FC in the Hungarian top flight and has represented his country at Under-20 and Under-22 level, is a versatile attacker who can play forward or across the midfield. The Mariners are understood to be keen on deploying him wide on the right.

He played 19 matches for the club last season before suffering a facial injury, which cruelled his campaign. TWG understands the 22 year-old is keen to re-establish himself at his club and sees a stint in the A-League as the ideal way to regain his fitness.

Mariners coach Phil Moss claimed the deal is not yet across the line but that Vernes possesses all the traits he’s looking for.

“Whatever player we bring to the club has to have the same qualities," Moss said. "They need to be versatile, to have the right mentality and to put the team before an individual mentality and he certainly has those qualities."

It’s understood that the midfielder was one of half a dozen players the club was looking at and is highly regarded from the various contacts and scouting networks that were consulted.