Swindon rejects big money offers for Socceroos star Luongo

Australia's AFC Asian Cup hero Massimo Luongo is staying put at Swindon Town for now, with the third-tier English club fending off strong interest on transfer deadline day.

Luongo

Massimo Luongo's Socceroos performances have caught the eye around Europe. (Getty)

The 22 year-old midfielder, described by his club manager as the 'David Beckham of Australian football', has been the subject of intense transfer speculation since being named player of the Asian Cup.

It appears only a matter of time before Luongo moves to a higher league but he will remain part of third-placed Swindon's fight for promotion to the Championship after the club's rejection of several offers.

They included a bid worth a reported $6.75 million from Championship side Cardiff City on Tuesday (AEDT) and a big-money offer from an unnamed Qatari club.

It followed Swindon rejecting a $4.85 million offer from a Turkish club last week and rumoured interest from other clubs in England, Spain and Germany.

Luongo said he is keen to help the club fight for promotion and Swindon chairman Lee Power is relieved to have survived the transfer window without losing his key midfielders, Luongo and highly rated Iraqi Yaser Kasim.

"I want to keep (the squad) together and have a real go this year. It's a really important year for us," Power told Swindon news site Link Sport.

It is believed Swindon was only willing to sell Luongo if it could loan him back immediately for the rest of the season.

Robins manager Mark Cooper suggested Luongo could be worth as much as $9.65 million but said he had no desire to sell.

"When you play in a global tournament, you're going to get foreign teams interested in you and that's what has happened to Mass," Cooper told Link Sport.

"He's the pin-up boy of Australian football now and I know his peers in the Australian team think highly of him, and that's the biggest accolade you can get as a footballer.

"He's the David Beckham of Australia now, is Mass."

Socceroos goalkeeper Mat Ryan is also staying put with Club Brugge after reported interest from Liverpool, though a move away from Belgium appears likely at the end of the season.

A possible loan move for defender Curtis Good from Newcastle to Rangers didn't eventuate but striker Eli Babalj will join fellow Australian Trent Sainsbury at high-flying Dutch club PEC Zwolle on loan from AZ Alkmaar until the end of the season.


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3 min read
Published 3 February 2015 10:28am

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