Bosnar close to Everton switch

Everton look set to sign their second Australian in less than a week.

Defender Eddy Bosnar is close to sealing a three-year deal at Goodison Park - a move that would reunite the left-sided defender with his childhood friend Tim Cahill, who completed a £2m (€3m) transfer to Merseyside from Millwall last week.

Sydney-raised Bosnar, a former Australia Under-20 international, has been given the green light by Austrian club Sturm Graz to leave on a free transfer.

He spent a week training with the Toffees on their recent pre-season tour of Austria.

“We have agreed to let Bosnar go,” Sturm manager Heinz Schilcher told Austrian website sport1.com.

“It is a massive chance for Bosnar. It is up to him now. There are only a few details to clarify with Everton.

“Playing in the Premiership has always been a dream for Eddy and I’m sure he can battle for a regular first-team spot,” Schilcher said.

The 24-year-old, who played for Northern Spirit and Sydney United in Australia before signing with Dinamo Zagreb in 2000, still has strong Croatian ties.

Bosnar has hinted he might defect to Croatia after Socceroos coach Frank Farina’s failure to reward the defender with a full cap.

“Perhaps I’m not Frank’s sort of player. I’ve constantly been told I’ll be given a chance with the Socceroos but the call never comes,” Bosnar told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph.

“I could get a Croatian passport tomorrow but that’s not what I really want to do. Australia have the first option but if they don’t want me, what can I do?”