SOCCEROO midfielder Mark Milligan will become Melbourne Victory’s Australian marquee after the parties agreed a new three-year contract.

Milligan, 28, is aiming to overcome the disappointment of the World Cup, where injury saw him take no further part after the opening game against Chile.

The Victory captain, who is taking a well-earnt break, had a year to run on his deal but it’s understood Victory promised him an improved deal when they rejected several overseas offers last season.

Milligan, who was tempted first by a dream move to Premier League side Crystal Palace then a lucrative deal to the Middle East, said it would take a super opportunity to lure him away now.

While there were months of tense negotiations, his new deal — which runs until 2017 — supersedes his old one and sees him replace Archie Thompson as Victory’s marquee, after the veteran striker signed a reduced deal.

“I’ll be at Melbourne Victory next season. We negotiated a contract before I went away (to Brazil) and I’ll sort that out once I get home,’’ Milligan said.

“I’m really happy and they’ve come with a very good offer for me and I’m very excited about this season.

media_camera Mark Milligan with wife Rhia and daughters Audrey 16 months and Maya 4yrs old in Melbourne before the World Cup.

“We all consider things that come but now it would take a lot to lure me away.

“I’ve spoken to Kevin (Muscat) and the club and as I’ve said all along it was going to have to be something pretty special to uproot my family and leave Melbourne. ‘’

media_camera Mark Milligan and family are happy in Melbourne.

Milligan, who had been to two World Cups but not played a minute, was gutted when a hamstring strain ruled him out of the Netherlands game- he was an unused sub against Spain.

He felt the twinge at training after whipping in some crosses ahead of a likely move to right-back against the Dutch.

“I pulled up tight after the Chile game and then at training I did some things I’m not really used to and my body didn’t react,’’ he said.

“I don’t normally whip in a lot of crosses and my body was in shock.

“I was so close, if I had another day or two it would have been easier.

“It wasn’t something so serious that I had to go home, but it was serious enough to keep me out and that was the most frustrating thing.’’

media_camera Injury kep Milligan to one game in Brazil.

The arrivals of Carl Valeri and Besart Berisha, who fills the international marquee position, marks the start of the Kevin Muscat rebuild.

Whether Victory reverts to a 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, it will signal the end of the ‘false 9’ system introduced by Ange Postecoglou, with Milligan set to partner the intelligent Valeri in midfield.

“I’m very happy where I am, the signings we’ve made, we’re going to be very competitive this year,’’ Milligan said.

“Hopefully the World Cup has excited the people about our game again. I don’t think it was heading in the wrong direction, but it may have plateaued a bit, so hopefully this gets the excitement back.

“It’s not just what we’ve done but when players like David Villa are coming to Australia it’s absolutely massive.’’

Originally published as Milligan gets new Victory marquee deal