The World Game reported that City had won the race for De Silva last week but in a new twist, they have been unable to fit the 21-year old’s wages into the salary cap and have declined to make the Australian under-23 representative a marquee.
City were essentially hamstrung by the fact that De Silva’s registration is still held by AS Roma, who have been paying the young star the bulk of a contract thought to be worth well over $500,000.
Roma are looking to find a club who will pick up much of those wages, which City were initially willing to do.
However, the club – already at the brink of the salary cap – have now decided it is not prepared to give up a marquee position.
Marcin Budzinski and Bruno Fornaroli currently occupy two marquee positions at the club but City are keen to reserve any uncapped roster positions for mature players who can drive them to their first championship.
Young star Daniel Arzani may also command marquee status in the coming seasons if he decides to stay in the A-League, potentially complicating issues further.
The deal could only be revived if Roma were prepared to take on a much greater portion of De Silva’s salary but that looks unlikely. De Silva has never played for Roma and the club is keen to ease themselves from the burden of his contract.
De Silva’s representatives have made contact with several other A-League clubs, although some have balked at the initial asking price and are looking for a more modest fee, ideally one that fits in the salary cap.
Sydney FC have made strong moves to bring him to Moore Park, eyeing him as a possible long-term replacement for Milos Ninkovic, who turns 34 in December.
Brisbane Roar came within a whisker of securing the attacking midfielder before he settled on City, although it’s unclear whether their interest will remain quite so vigorous.
Perth Glory, De Silva's original club, are also thought to be considering a move for their home-town star.
