Chinese striker Qu Shengqing, who had a brilliant season in the inaugural A-League, is set to return to the Australian league next season.

The Chinese, on lease to A-League side Adelaide United, finished as the top scorer of the League last season. The former China's Footballer of the Year then returned to join the Chinese second-division side Nanjing Yoyo on a one-year contract.

Australian Foxsports reported Tuesday, Adelaide United has regained the services of Qu Shengqing for the coming A-League season.

Qu has indicated a desire to spend more time in Australia, and the club will speak to him about a potential one-year option on his arrival in two to three weeks time.

He will be officially listed as Adelaide's marquee player, but the club has not made official his salary package.

Reds coach John Kosmina believed the news would spark renewed optimism among the club's supporters.

"I think a lot of people were actually disappointed, even opposition people, that he wasn't coming back," Kosmina said.

"I think now our supporters will be very happy and the opposition players won't be so happy."

Qu scored seven goals in the inaugural A-League season, including some of the most spectacular strikes of the campaign.

The fact Qu has been playing in China means he should be in better physical shape this season than last, when he arrived with plenty of fitness work to do.

He still has a medical to pass, but Kosmina hopes Q will be ready to perform from the first game.

"He's got a few runs on the board now that he's played continuously," Kosmina said.

"He'd been out of action for quite a while before he came out last year.

"It took us six months to get him up and running. We've circumvented that under the current circumstances, I hope.

"He's here for a purpose and he'll come here fired up and ready to go."

United could also be only days away from securing the signature of former Celtic player Bobby Petta.

The club has been negotiating with Petta, and hopes to stitch up a deal before he returns to England next week.

Petta's signing would leave just the final under-20 spot to complete United's squad for the 2006-2007 season. 　
?
(Foxsports July 25, 2006)