Melbourne Victory receive bid from J-League club for midfielder Mitch Nichols Mitch Nichols could be heading for the J-League. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images MELBOURNE Victory is facing the prospect of losing one of its hottest properties at a critical point of the season with J-League club Cerezo Osaka lodging an official bid to sign their star playmaker, Mitch Nichols. The 24 year old, who only joined the club on a two-year deal in May, has been in sparkling form in his 11 games in the blue and white, attracting the interest of Cerezo who finished fourth in the Japanese top flight last season. They have now placed an offer with the Victory with a view to signing him when the January transfer window opens. The potential move looms as a tempting one for the Queensland product, as his prospects of a spot in former boss Ange Postecoglou's World Cup squad improve by the week. It is understood that he is keen for the offer to be accepted. That may be an issue however, with Melbourne proving to be notoriously hardlined when it comes to letting their best players leave, as they showed in rejecting a $1 million bid for skipper Mark Milligan from EPL outfit Crystal Palace in August. Nichols' agent Buddy Farah was reluctant to comment at length when contacted but admitted the bid had been lodged. I won't deny it but I will say it's now in the hands of the Victory and I'm sure the club will deal with it accordingly. "I have no further comment to make at this stage," he continued. The Victory has refused to comment but has not denied that the offer has been placed. In other transfer news, Central Coast Mariners have confirmed attacking midfielder Michael McGlinchey will join Graham Arnold's Japanese club on loan for the next 12 months while former favourite Bernie Ibini will return to the reigning A-League champions. New Zealand international McGlinchey will join ex-Mariners coach Arnold at Vegalta Sendai for the 2014 season. McGlinchey is available for the Mariners' next two matches before departing. His position will be filled by Ibini, who was sold by the Mariners for $650,000 to Chinese Super League club Shanghai East Asia just six months ago. The 21-year-old was granted extended compassionate leave from Shanghai East Asia to be closer to his family in Sydney following the death of his father in November.