The 30-year-old made an instant impact during his 11-match loan spell on Wanderland, scoring four goals to help Marko Rudan’s side nail down a top-four finish.
 
His performances since arriving in February on loan from Norwegian outfit Valerenga didn’t just impress Rudan, they also drew admiring glances from this season’s Premiers Plate winners, who face the possibility of losing wide attacker Marco Tilio during the off-season along with goalkeeper Tom Glover, plus Socceroos midfielder Aiden O’Neill and wing back Jordan Bos.
 
It’s understood Layouni’s Swedish agent was in Melbourne recently to meet City’s football director Michael Petrillo to the discuss terms of a two-year deal for the soon-to-be off-contract Wanderers’ loanee.
 
Wanderers recruitment chief Eddy Bosnar - who has already landed three signings from within the A-League for next season - has made no secret of his club’s desire to turn Layouni’s loan spell into a permanent switch.
 
One of those new faces on the Wanderers’ roster is expected to be Perth Glory defender Jack Clisby.
 
It will be the ex-Central Coast and Melbourne City stopper’s second spell at the club.
 
Thrice capped by Tunisia, Layouni has played the majority of his career in Scandinavia, appearing for Swedish sides Brage and Degerfors and top-flight Norwegian top-flight outfits Elverum and FK Bodo/Glimt – netting 18 leagues goals for the latter over four seasons.
 
He had a brief spell with Egyptian side Pyramids FC before heading back north to join Vålerenga, for whom he made 48 league appearances - scoring 11 goals and providing 11 assists - before a fall out with the head coach precipitated an adventure down under which appears destined to continue.
 
He started for Wanderers in their heartbreaking 2-1 loss to bitter rivals Sydney FC in Saturday's elimination final.