Hatzikostas, 19, turned out for Heart in recent trial matches and has trained with the club as they look to finesse their squads for the new season – including for John Aloisi’s youth team squad.

Hatzikostas and Aziz Behich were two young players cut by Melbourne Victory prior to last season.

Behich put aside his A-League grand final agony to enjoy a successful season with red and whites.

Now after a successful season with in the VPL at Oakleigh Cannons, Hatzikostas could be close to rejoining his former teammate at AAMI Park.

After a brief stint with AEK Athens, the Victorian junior representative joined the VIS aged 15 where Mehmet Durakovic was the assistant coach.

The former Socceroo then was then handed the youth job at Victory and he duly signed Hatzikostas for Victory’s NYL side in 2008.

It wasn’t the first time Hatzikostas had experienced the club though. As a 15-year-old he sat on the bench for Victory’s pre-season tour of China. He even got game time against Tianjin Teda.

Big things were expected of him.

“It was surreal at the time, I’d come from playing just local leagues then all of a sudden I was travelling to Asia to play with the Victory first team,” Hatzikostas told au.fourfourtwo.com.

“At that point as long as I worked hard I thought I’d be a Melbourne Victory player but for whatever reason it didn’t work out.

“As a player you always back your own ability so when it doesn’t work out as you planned you kind of sit back and think, ‘well what I can do now?’

Hatzikostas was selected in Victory’s 2010 ACL squad. But after training with the first team group in the 2010 pre-season he could see opportunities were limited.

Oakleigh came knocking offering senior football. It was an inspired choice.

“It was for that reason that I moved on. I’d had my time in the youth league and wanted to play senior football,” he said.

Since then Oakleigh coach and AIS scholarship coach Arthur Papas has guided his career.

The Cannons have been in the top two for much of the VPL season as they battle the likes of Hume City and South Melbourne for top spot.

Hatzikostas has been a regular starter on the right in a side that also includes older heads such as Billy Damianos.  

“It was one of the reasons why I went to Oakleigh. Honestly, Arthur is one of the best coaches I’ve had. He is extremely professional,” said Hatzikostas.

“And playing for real points rather than in the NYL has helped. The clubs need to win in the VPL. It’s given me a lot of good experience.”