Australia star Massimo Luongo looks to have played his last match for Swindon Town with club chairman Lee Power revealing that a $6 million transfer to an English Premier League club is on the cards within days.
Speaking in the wake of the Robins’ shattering 4-0 League One play-off final loss to Bailey Wright’s Preston North End at Wembley Stadium, Power confirmed there were offers on the table from the likes of Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, West Ham United and relegated Queens Park Rangers for Luongo.
The opportunity to jump two divisions will help ease some of the pain of a chastening Wembley debut for Luongo, with Power telling The World Game: “There are a number of offers for Massimo. That's not surprising because he’s been a star for us this year.
“Something could happen this week … we have three substantial offers in from Premier League clubs and we need to sit down with Massimo and his advisors and decide what to do."
Asked if the clubs in question included Villa – coached by Luongo’s one-time mentor at Tottenham Hotspur Tim Sherwood – and Mile Jedinak’s Palace, Power replied: “You won’t be far wrong.
“The numbers being mentioned are around £3 million ($5.8 million), which is good money for us and we’ll be pleased with that.
“Mass has come from nowhere to become one of the key men in the Australian team and he will be a fantastic asset for someone.
“One day he will play in the Premier League – and it might be as early as next week. We are not going to stand in the boy’s way.
"When I signed him from Tottenham, I promised him he would stay here a year or two and we’d help develop him and help move him back up the ladder.
“He’s kept his part of the bargain and we will keep ours. He’s a lovely kid and he deserves his move, if it comes.”
Luongo, 22, was reluctant to speculate on his next step, preferring to let the dust settle on a day of disappointment that saw him eclipsed by his Australia team-mate Wright and sometimes Socceroos midfielder Neil Kilkenny – who both shone as Preston grabbed the final promotion spot on the back of a Jermaine Beckford hat-trick.
“The chairman is the one who deals with everything and I will pretend he hasn’t said anything and I will just switch off now and wait for him to give me a call," the gifted midfielder said.
“People keep asking me about a move but I am still contracted to Swindon and nothing has changed as yet.
“I just want to focus now on getting myself right for the Socceroos.”
Asked if he felt ready for the next great leap in his career, Luongo replied: “I think I am ... I back myself, though right now it doesn’t feel like that because we lost.
“I just need a rest and to get myself ready mentally and physically for the new season, wherever I am.
“The last two years have been brilliant at Swindon – I am no bad words to say about anybody at the cub.
"The staff have been incredible and players have been even better. I have a great relationship with the chairman … he brought me into the club and if anything happens he's always open and honest with me. “
Named in Australia’s squad for the FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifier against Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek, Luongo revealed he will have a scan on ankle injury picked up in the first half against Preston.
“It hindered me a bit … but I wanted to play on and wasn’t about to even think about coming off," he said.
“I’ll have a scan in the next two days and hopefully I will be okay for the Australia camp. Regardless, I would like to go and meet up with the boys and be part of the team again.
“It was a bit of a bad tackle and the ankle just rolled in on itself. I did the same one about two months ago but I think I’ll be alright.”
The squad convenes in Dubai for a camp before jetting into Bishkek.
At the final whistle Wright sought to console Luongo as wild celebrations erupted.
“Credit to Bailey … he was solid at centre back and nothing was getting past him," Luongo. said "At the end, I said to him ‘congratulations, you deserve it'.
“He was quite sympathetic towards me but I didn’t want him to be … I just wanted him to have his moment and to enjoy it.
“I feel gutted for our fans. Everybody at the football club was willing us to win but it wasn’t the fairy-tale ending to our season we were looking for.
“Next year, hopefully the team will come back stronger.”
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