Adelaide United and Sydney FC also have the 25-year-old Urawa Red Diamonds attacker on their radar as conjecture over his future heightens after just 10 months in Japan.
The former Newcastle Jets flier, currently on national team duty at the AFC Asian Cup, made only 12 appearances in an injury-affected debut season for the side which finished fifth in Japan’s top-tier.
And it’s understood a return to Australia might be on the cards, with City coach Warren Joyce keen to harness Nabbout’s pace and power, regardless of whether the mooted swap deal between City striker Bruno Fornaroli and Perth Glory’s Andy Keogh goes ahead.
Glory owner Tony Sage has sought to downplay the exchange of the Uruguayan and the Irishman, but Melbourne’s Herald-Sun newspaper has tipped the deal to be concluded imminently.
Nabbout has already picked up an Emperor’s Cup winning medal with Urawa, coming off the bench in the last 10 minutes of October’s 2-0 victory over Sagan Tosu.
He suffered a serious shoulder injury at last year’s FiFA World Cup, and ill fortune in the form of a groin injury denied him his ninth cap in Australia’s 1-0 opening loss to Jordan in the UAE.
He remains in doubt for Friday’s crucial clash against Palestine as Graham Arnold’s men seek reinvigorate their defense of the continental crown.
