Viduka snubbed several offers from English Premier League and European clubs to keep on playing top flight football this season after his contract with Newcastle United ran out at the end of last season.

Portsmouth believed they had a deal with the burly striker - but after making an alleged verbal agreement, management at the EPL club lost contact with the star.

He is believed to have spent the summer cruising on his yacht off the Croatian coast as he considered his future.

This month Australia coach Pim Verbeek admitted he had finally given up hope of bringing Viduka into his Socceroos plans in the lead up to next year's World Cup.

But now Melbourne Heart have revealed they have been in touch with Viduka and are in talks with him for to make a return to the game, although they admit no decision is likely until early next year at the earliest.

Heart football operations chief John Didiluca said squad plans were now in an advanced stage at the club since coach John van't Schip joined earlier this month.

And Viduka is top of the club's wishlist as the big name marquee.

"Because its a start-up club I think it needs to be someone who can drag the rest of the squad along behind him," Didulica told the Geelong Advertiser.

"If we could get Mark Viduka it would be an absolute privilege - whether or not that happens is probably some months down the track.

"He needs to figure out where he wants to go in his career - we've got a discussion happening with that."

He added: "If we've got six or seven young kids within the line-up, we've got to have a player who can take these guys to a higher level ... it's not just about getting a guy who can put some extra bums on seats."