Australia coach Pim Verbeek will travel to Tyneside to meet with Newcastle United striker Mark Viduka next month.

Verbeek has been in regular contact with Viduka as the 32-year-old ponders whether to add to his 43 caps for the Socceroos.

Although - to Newcastle's relief - Verbeek will not call upon Viduka for Australia's match in China on March 11, he sees the striker as potentially playing a pivotal role in his country's other World Cup qualifiers this year.

"I have made an appointment to see Mark (in Newcastle) in April, but we don't need him for a game like this (China)," Verbeek said.

"We've discussed how he (Viduka) felt, and he said: 'I'm getting fitter and fitter'." And Verbeek is confident that all his Europe-based players will heed his selection call in the coming months.

"I think their commitment to Australia is so high that if I need them, they will come."