The 26-year-old, set to exit Brisbane Roar for China or Korea, will consider his options over the coming days.

Paartalu’s agent, David O’Keefe, confirmed the back-to-back champions made a strong bid to retain his client but a fresh challenge beckoned.

“We’re in discussion with a club in Korea and two clubs in China,” O’Keefe said.

“We were hopeful of something being finalised this time last week but it’s been dragged out a little bit.

“Once those offers come through I’ll sit down with Erik, probably likely to be in the next couple of days and work out what’s the best option is for him.

“Brisbane have been good, very supportive. We obviously told them early December he was going to move on just for a new challenge – not because he’s unhappy at the club.

He added: “They’ve still made it very clear they’d like to re-sign him but they also understand they can’t compete with the money on offer in Asia.

“If you can get that sort of money overseas then you’ve probably got to take it.”

But O’Keefe revealed it could have been a different story if coach Ange Postecoglou had not left for Melbourne Victory at the end of last season.

Since Postecoglou’s departure the title-winning squad has struggled to capture their old form and currently sit just outside the top 6 on the A-League ladder.

Replacement coach and former assistant, Rado Vidosic, has himself been replaced, shifted to technical director, while Mike Mulvey has taken over the hot seat.

In November Paartalu spoke out against the negative talk surrounding the team and called on the club to “stick together”.

His frustration was compounded by yet another Socceroo snub, this time overlooked for last month’s EAFF qualifying squad.

The former Scottish Premier League player made no secret of the fact he signed with Roar in 2010 to work with Postecoglou and was gutted by his decision to leave.

“I think (Erik) was like many people – shocked when Ange left when he did - so it was always going to be different,” said O’Keefe who also represents Postecoglou.

“Erik sort of wanted to embrace the new head coach and the change but unfortunately the culture is completely different up there now.

“He’s often found it frustrating like many of them have but he’s never at any stage given up the club.”

It's not the first time Paartalu has been courted by overseas clubs. Last year he passed up lucrative offers with Guangzhou R&F in the Chinese Premier League who eventually snapped up the Central Coast Mariners’ Rostyn Griffiths. The year before, the Koreans came calling.

O’Keefe said Paartalu was always Roar’s loyal servant of Roar and hasn’t regretted his choices.

“He went on to win two Premierships and two grand finals and you can’t replace those sort of things,” he added.

“He’s been very happy with his decisions but he’s 26 now, he’s just got engaged…so this is sort of the time.”

But it may not be the last the A-League sees of him.

“We’re looking for a two year deal over there,” the agent said. “Then he can come back, he’s still under 30 and hopefully go back to a club – it might be Brisbane. You just never know.”