Żabbar St Patrick are poised to further strengthen their squad ahead of the decisive phase of the season, with Replay able to exclusively confirm that the club is on the verge of announcing the signing of Australian midfielder Massimo Forte on loan.

The 21-year-old defensive midfielder is set to join the Saints from Italian Serie C outfit Vis Pesaro for the remainder of the campaign. Forte, who also holds an Italian passport, is expected to add depth, balance and energy to Żabbar’s midfield options as the club looks to push forward in the second half of the season.

Forte has developed his footballing education in Italy, gaining experience with a number of well-regarded clubs. He has previously been on the books of Sassuolo, Pro Vercelli and Cittadella, building a solid grounding in the Italian game before moving to Vis Pesaro. This season, he featured in several Lega Pro matches, but his momentum was disrupted after spending a number of weeks sidelined through injury.

The loan move to Żabbar St Patrick is seen as an ideal opportunity for Forte to return to regular competitive football, regain full match sharpness and showcase his qualities in a demanding league environment. Known for his defensive awareness, work rate and ability to break up play in midfield, Forte is expected to bring added stability in front of the back line.

For Żabbar St Patrick, the imminent arrival of Forte underlines the club’s ambition as they look to reinforce key areas of the squad. The Australian midfielder’s versatility and experience within structured Italian systems could prove valuable as the Saints target consistency and positive results in the weeks ahead.

An official announcement is expected in the coming days, subject to the completion of formalities.