Melbourne Heart in market for marquee signing after Lucas Neill miss - Herald Sun

Melbourne Heart coach John Aloisi will be given an increased war chest for next season. Picture: George Salpigtidis. Source: Herald Sun

MELBOURNE Heart, gazumped by Sydney FC on the Lucas Neill deal, has vowed to sign a marquee player for next season as it tries to lift crowds.

Heart's $2.6 million wage bill is one of the lowest in the league but coach John Aloisi will be given an increased war chest for next season.

Chairman Peter Sidwell said Heart was on track to break even in its third year in the A-League, aided by the recent sales of Aziz Behich (Bursaspor) and Michael Marrone (Shanghai Shenxin) which netted the club about $750,000.

"We anticipate picking up somebody appropriate for the club to move forward. We haven't identified anyone yet but the player will pick himself when we find the right one," Sidwell said.

"We'll look even more aggressively than before about trying to get a player or players that will make a demonstrative difference.

"We're going along really well. We've got a solid financial base now as a result of some hard work over the last three years.

"The perception that the club is struggling is absolutely wrong."

Sidwell defended the club's selling policy, which has been criticised by Heart fans. The club also sold Brendan Hamill (Seongnam), Curtis Good (Newcastle United) and Eli Babalj, although the latter has since returned from Red Star Belgrade.

He said Heart had tried to retain Behich until the end of the season, but Turkish club Bursaspor was keen to take him immediately and a clause in his contract made it impossible for Heart to stand in his way.

"Selling players hasn't been of intent," Sidwell said.

"We protested as hard as we could, as long as we could (on Behich). Unfortunately sometimes contractually you have to let players go because of what's called the 'break' clause and they're young boys who are wanting to realise their dreams.

"It's a difficult balance at times . . . we understand it's about winning silverware, not about the necessary bank balance.

"We've had some abnormal incomes this year because of player transfers and that's been bittersweet for us because the kids we've lost, we would've liked to keep."