Coach Ricki Herbert is putting the finishing touch to the paperwork for the new signing and is excited by the prospect.

Other rumoured Phoenix surprises are an unlikely new home for sacked Adelaide skipper Ross Aloisi, as well as Kiwi returns for Newcastle Jets stars Vaughn Coveny and Tim Brown.

All Whites keepers Mark Paston and Glen Moss are expected to find a place in the squad along with veteran fullback Tony Lochhead plus Noah Hickey and Steven Old.

Jeremy Christie is also believed to be a Wellington target if he can be released from his contract with Perth Glory.

But Herbert - who says he is only halfway through his recruitment drive - is delighted with his prospective samba star signing.

"You want the public going `wow' this guy's OK," he told New Zealand's Sunday Star-Times.

"He'll play slightly deeper but is certainly an attack-minded player. I'm awaiting the formalities to come through on his contract but it's all looking OK.

"If you reflect on the Melbourne Victory team, the quality has come from their imports, they made a big difference. Up front is one area that you want to get it right and is something I'm very conscious of."

He added: "I think people will be pleasantly surprised about what we've been able to achieve from a recruitment point of view.

"As always there'll be good, bad or indifferent opinions on the players - it'll be good to have people talking about players.

"I can only go on the responses I've had from players all around the world wanting to play in the A-League and I think that's a reflection on what Football Federation Australia have managed to achieve.

"58,000 to a grand final, 32,000 as an average gate for Melbourne. With those stats, it's competing with some of the best leagues in the world.

"If we get everything else right, it's the product on the field that will get attendances at a good level and growing."