The experienced campaigner skippered the New Zealand side during its inaugural A-League campaign but was plagued by a back problem that forced him to miss numerous matches.

The official line from the club is that it has still to finalise negotiations with the former Adelaide United man but it seems as though the player has decided to listen to what his body is telling him.

His last match in the A-League was a first ever meeting with brother John in the final game of last season – not a happy occasion for Ross as the Phoenix lost 2-0 and ended up with the wooden spoon.

If the news is confirmed then it will hardly come as a major shock, despite Phoenix attempts to persuade him to remain.

Aloisi had planted retirement thoughts in an interview with au.fourfourtwo.com’s sister publication The Full90 in January when he said: “I always said I wanted to go out when I was on top and still earning my spot. I didn’t want to be pushed. So only because of injury it might well be that this proves to be my last season.”

As recently as last week a club spokesman said ‘no formal decision has been reached by either party’ but Ross admitted last month the game was up for him.

He told au.fourfourtwo.com at the A-League awards: "It's not my knees, it's my back. I just can't do it any more.

"The dream of playing alongside (brother) John is gone."

The club has called a press conference to make a ‘major announcement’ tomorrow.