Julian Assange's cryptic photo suggests he will 'leave Ecuadorian embassy' after receiving passport

Julian Assange looks set to end his five-and-half-year stay at the Ecuadorian embassy in London as it looks for a “third country or a personality” to assist in his settlement in the UK.

The Wikileaks founder, 47, has been cooped up inside the embassy since June 2012 in a bid to avoid extradition to Sweden following sexual assault charges he categorically denies.

Sweden dropped the investigation against Assange in May last year, but British police said they would still be compelled to arrest the Australian if he left embassy grounds.

Ecuadorian news outlet El Universo reports he has been issued a passport and an identity card by the nation, citing "reliable sources", as Assange himself shared a cryptic photo of himself wearing the Ecuadorian soccer team's jersey.

The notorious hacker and whistleblowing publisher's relationship with his South American hosts has reportedly become increasingly strained in recent months.

Despite Ecuador granting him asylum, Foreign Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa said the nation was looking into alternatives to the Australian's living arrangements, AFP reported.

"We are also considering and exploring the possibility of mediation... It could be a third country or a personality," Espinosa said.

Assange, who has not left his cramped accommodation in fear of arrest by British authorities, has responded to the news by posting an image on Twitter wearing the Ecuadorian national soccer team's shirt.

A statement by Assange’s legal team suggested the UK authorities' stance on the matter was unlawful.

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“The UN ruling, issued almost two years ago, is crystal clear in its language, Mr Assange is unlawfully and arbitrarily detained by the UK authorities and must be released.

“The UK should not permit itself to be intimidated by the Trump administration’s public threats to 'take down' Mr Assange.”

Assange's relationship with Ecuador has strained in recent years, most notably since the appointment of president Lenin Moreno in 2017 who warned him he "cannot meddle in national and international politics," especially in regards to "politics of countries that are our friends".