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New Zealand footballer Kosta Barbarouses will depart Melbourne Victory after declining a contract extension from the A-League club.
New Zealand footballer Kosta Barbarouses will depart Melbourne Victory for pastures new after declining a contract extension.
The 29-year-old finishes his second stint with the A-League club with 161 appearances and 51 goals across 2013-16 and 2017-19.
"We put forward an offer to keep Kosta here as we build towards our next chapter as a club, however he unfortunately declined this offer," football operations general manager Paul Trimboli said on Thursday.
"Kosta has not only been a terrific servant to Melbourne Victory over his two stints with the club, but also a great individual both on and off the field."
His time with the club includes the historic domestic treble season in 2014-15, in which the forward proved crucial to Victory's A-League Premiership, Championship and FFA Cup title wins.
He also scored the winning goal in the 2017-18 Grand Final against Newcastle Jets to secure a fourth championship for the club.
Barbarouses has been linked to a shock switch to Sydney FC for next season, having reportedly agreed personal terms with the club.