Fremantle City have revealed an ambitious plan to join next season’s expanded A-League with the backing of Italian giants Juventus.

The bid was launched yesterday to gauge and generate public interest with club president Maurice Oteri gathering support from local clubs and pledging grassroots links.

Football Federation Australia expects to announce two new teams in October, expanding the A-League to 12 sides, from a number of bidders including South Sydney, Canberra, the Gold Coast and Tasmania. Expressions of interest must be submitted in three weeks.

Oteri said City already have links with Juventus through their academy and he will have further talks with the club later this month about a $10 million investment.

He would also expect marquee signings to come from Juve.

Oteri said the backing of Juventus could either alienate or excite FFA.

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“That’s my concern. I’m not sure how they will react about foreign ownership,” he said.

“The first litmus test is to see whether there is public support for a Freo City team. If support is lacking I will not submit a bid.

“I have a saying that you only have one chance for the first impression and I’m not going to put in a bid with no substance.

“I’ll just keep building the momentum for the next round of expansion.”

Oteri said the plan, that had been on the radar for three years, was deliberately later than others.

“You pitch your bid once you’ve seen what everyone else does,” he said.

“It’s like attending an auction.

Camera Icon How Fremantle City launched their ambitious A-League bid online. Credit: freocity.com.au

“You get a flurry of buyers sticking up their hands, beating their chests but the real bidders, the successful bidders, are the ones that come in at the very end when the gavel is abut to fall for the third time.”

A-League boss Greg O’Rourke said at the launch of last season that a second team in WA was unlikely for at least four years.

He said FFA preferred the expansion sides to be in Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane.

Another two sides are expected to be added in two years with further expansion in four years.