WESTERN Sydney and Sydney FC are both on the trail of Fiorentina midfielder Josh Brillante, aiming to repatriate the fringe Socceroo two years after he left Newcastle for the Serie A club.

The 23-year-old, who has been on loan at Serie B side Como for the past season, is believed to have held talks with both Sydney clubs as he contemplates a homecoming.

Both of the Sydney clubs are seeking reinforcements in central midfield, after Sydney allowed Mickael Tavares to join the Mariners and Western Sydney released Andreu. Brillante would also give Graham Arnold an option for rightback at Sydney FC, though his preference is to play in the centre of the park.

Brillante was catapulted into a remarkable debut at Fiorentina just weeks after joining from Newcastle, only for a horror first appearance to be cut short by his being substituted after just 35 minutes, but is highly rated by Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou who included him in his extended squad before the 2014 World Cup.

Meanwhile the exodus at Western Sydney has continued with the departure of goalkeeper Liam Reddy just five months after he joined the club. Reddy, who had been expected to assume the mantle of first choice keeper in the wake of his acrimonious exit from the Mariners, was dropped by Tony Popovic on the eve of the finals and was yesterday released by the club.

In the event he is able to find another home in the A-League Reddy would set a record having already played for both Sydney teams, Newcastle, Brisbane, the Mariners and Wellington.

Wanderers midfielder Mitch Nichols was yesterday fined $1000 for making an offensive gesture to the Brisbane Roar fans at the end of the A-League semi-final between the two sides which Western Sydney dramatically won 5-4 against Nichol’s former club.