Out of favour with the Bundesliga club he joined two years back, Hrustic, 26, needed a fresh start elsewhere to garner game time heading into November-December’s World Cup.
 

FINDING HEAVEN AT HELLAS

 
  • Australia coach Graham Arnold has welcomed Ajdin Hrustic's switch from the Bundesliga to Serie A.
 
  • The Socceroos midfielder consulted Arnold over the move from Eintracht Frankfurt to Hellas Verona and received his blessing.
 
  • Hrustic is likely to get the game time he needs heading into November-December's World Cup in Qatar.
 
And Arnold believes the multi-faceted Hrustic will thrive in Italy - once home to Socceroos greats Mark Bresciano, Vince Grella and Paul Okon, and currently the domain of Roma’s Sydney-born winger Cristian Volpato.
 
The pair conferred over the switch prior to Hrustic pulling the trigger, with Arnold fully in favour of Hrustic inking his four-year agreement with one of Italy’s most iconic clubs.
 
“It’s important for Ajdin to get back time and I have no doubt he’ll hit the ground running with Verona," Arnold told FTBL.
 
“It’s fantastic for Australian football for him to join such a high calibre league and a strong club where he’ll be given the opportunity to shine.
 
“Ajdin is an important player for us and we’ve all seen what he’s capable of at both club and international level. I’m excited for him over what lies ahead this season.
 
“He reached out to me to discuss it beforehand and for a bit of advice. He had a couple of options, as you’d expect, but I think it’s a perfect fit for him.
 
“From what I hear he’ll play as a right-sided number eight, and for him it’s really about going somewhere where he’s going to be involved week-in week-out.
 
“And that’s great for us because we need all our players to be sharp and match-hardened going into the World Cup where the preparation time is going to be limited.”
 
Hrustic helped Die Adler win last season’s UEFA Europa League, scoring in the penalty shootout victory over Rangers.
 
But he was never a regular starter at the Waldstadion and his exit was inevitable after coach Oliver Glasner omitted him from his squads at the beginning of this season.
 
“It’s time to say goodbye… I’d like to thank you, the fans, my teammates and the staff – you made me feel very comfortable from day one in Frankfurt,” Hrustic said via Instagram.
 
“Being a part of the Europa League triumph makes me extremely proud. My last special goal in the final was for you fans.”
 
Last season Hrustic netted two goals in 23 Bundesliga appearances for Eintracht - overall featuring in 34 league matches for the German club.
 
Hellas Verona have made a shaky start to the Serie A season, and still looking for their first win after four rounds with two defeats and two draws under Gabriele Cioffi.