Image: Mark Avellino
South Melbourne have made former Melbourne Victory winger Francesco Stella their fifth acquisition of the off-season.
He joins his former club, where he featured before embarking on an overseas career.
With a youth career in Chievo Verona in Italy, Stella played at South Melbourne in 2008-09, making 19 appearances.
He then spent time at A.C. Siena, loaned out to lower league club Borgo a Buggiano, netting four times in 21 matches.
The attacker signed for fourth-tier outfit Rangers after the Scottish giants went into administration but failed to make a senior league appearance.
He moved back home in 2013 when signed by Melbourne Victory, going on to play seven A-League games.
He was released in 2014 and joined Avondale FC in 2015 following a short spell at Thai club Sisaket, netting twice in 10 games and catching the attention of Central Coast Mariners.
His move back to the A-League yielded eight appearances for the cellar dwellers before departing back to Avondale, playing four more times and then going to Italy as a triallist.
Stella didn’t secure a contract and re-joins his former club South Melbourne, who are looking to defend their NPL championship.
The 25-year-old joins Jesse Daley, Luke Pavlou, Ajdin Fetahagic and Stefan Zinni as new acquisitions at Lakeside for 2017.