Canberra's Tom Rogic is still yet to find a new home after his exit from Celtic in Scotland, but he should feel more than comfortable in the green and gold of a Socceroos jersey for next month's crucial World Cup play-off against the United Arab Emirates in Qatar.
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Rogic returned to the Australian squad after missing the last two matches of the Asian group stage qualifiers against Japan and Saudi Arabia. Though listed as currently uncontracted, he isn't the only Socceroo in club limbo with Trent Sainsbury, Aziz Behich and Awer Mabil in the same boat.
Rogic is fresh off winning the 2022 PFA Men's Player of the Year Award for his efforts in Scotland under former Socceroos coach, Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou. Earlier this month the Australian pair were the toast of Glasgow, having helped lead the Bhoys to claim the Scottish Premiership title.
Coach Graham Arnold's 29-man squad includes a total of nine players who weren't involved in the most recent qualifiers, when the squad were hit hard by COVID-19 withdrawals and injury to lose back-to-back matches.
There are returns for star players like Rogic, Aaron Mooy, and Jackson Irvine as well as Adelaide winger Craig Goodwin, Melbourne City forward Mathew Leckie and Central Coast defender Kye Rowles and Adam Taggart.
"Our qualification journey for this year's FIFA World Cup has been challenging, however the bigger the challenge, the greater the reward," Arnold said.
"Just like in 2017 and 2005 I have full belief that our boys will emerge through the play-off system and seal Australia a place at the FIFA World Cup."
Back from injury, Socceroos striker Taggart is on a mission to fire Australia into this year's World Cup.
It's Taggart's first call-up for the national team since October, with a knee injury ruling the 28-year-old out of the back-half of Australia's group stage matches.
In his absence the Socceroos went from leading the group to finishing third behind Saudi Arabia and Japan, forcing them into the June 7 play-off against the UAE. The winner of that match goes on to face South American nation Peru on June 13.
"It's been obviously frustrating, after having such a positive and strong campaign up until the last sort of couple of camps, but these things happen. It's football," Taggart said.
"This is the challenge we've got ahead of us now.
"Frustrating as those camps might have been and the results might have been, we've just got to look at it as a massive opportunity, an exciting opportunity.
"It's sort of an all-or-nothing scenario that we've got ourselves in.
"It's just important to go in there, make the most of it and enjoy it and make sure we get to the World Cup.
"You can't dwell on what's happened over the past few games and there's still to play for ... we just need to make sure that the way we view it is in a positive way."
Melbourne Victory fullback Jason Davidson has also been selected and could make his first Socceroos appearance since 2015.
As well as Taggart, Arnold's strikeforce is boosted by the return of A-League Men's golden boot winner Jamie Maclaren after he missed the Saudi Arabia game in March to get married.
Ajdin Hrustic also comes into camp on the back of his recent Europa League triumph with Eintracht Frankfurt.
Those call-ups however mean there's no place for Uruguay-born forward Bruno Fornaroli after his highly publicised debut in March with Connor Metcalfe, Ben Folami, James Jeggo and Rhyan Grant others to miss out.
Arnold has also overlooked Johnny Warren medallist Jake Brimmer and Scottish-born Central Coast forward Jason Cummings.
Australia warms up for their must-win game against the UAE with a friendly in Doha against Jordan on Thursday (4am AEST).
SOCCEROOS SQUAD
Nathaniel Atkinson, Aziz Behich, Martin Boyle, Nicholas D'Agostino, Jason Davidson, Milos Degenek, Kenny Dougall, Mitch Duke, Denis Genreau, Craig Goodwin, Ajdin Hrustic, Jackson Irvine, Fran Karacic, Joel King, Mathew Leckie, Awer Mabil, Jamie Maclaren, Riley McGree, Aaron Mooy, Andrew Redmayne (GK), Tom Rogic, Kye Rowles, Maty Ryan (GK), Trent Sainsbury, Gianni Stensness, Adam Taggart, Marco Tilio, Danny Vukovic (GK), Bailey Wright.