New Zealand Soccer are quietly confident of nailing a third match for the All Whites on next month's European tour.
They have confirmed games against English premier league clubs Charlton Athletic on August 5 and Blackburn Rovers - for whom All White Ryan Nelsen is a highly rated defender - on August 12.
NZS chief executive Graham Seatter is optimistic of confirming one more opponent by the end of this week. Whether that is another club or an international side is not clear, although Seatter has a preference.
"We'd prefer an international side because it makes it easier to get our players," he said. "We know we can get international players for some fixtures but club matches are pretty low on their priority."
All White coach Ricki Herbert has talked to Blackburn Rovers manager, former Manchester United star Mark Hughes, about Nelsen's availability, with no decision announced yet.
And NZS are also sounding out another premier league club, Fulham, about All Whites midfielder Simon Elliott, but Seatter isn't holding his breath in either instance.
"Our feeling in both situations is premiership clubs typically make their decisions quite late, so we must plan not to have them, and if we get them we'll treat it as a bonus."
Nelsen, 28, is in fellow premier league club Portsmouth's sights. They have made a £12 million ($35 million) offer for the central defender.
* All Whites striker Shane Smeltz, 24, is in the sights of English minor league club Halifax Town - provided he isn't tied to many international commitments next season.
"Shane has done well but we want to check at the New Zealand end how many games they have coming up," said Halifax manager Chris Wilder.
Soccer: All Whites confident of third European fixture
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