Luongo snubs multiple China soccer offers
Jan 24, 2017 - 12:23 AM Socceroos midfielder Massimo Luongo has revealed he regularly snubs mega-money offers from China to continue his pursuit of an English Premier League career.With several national teammates already plying their trades in the Chinese Super League, Luongo concedes such outrageous figures can be a distraction.
But the 24-year-old Queens Park Rangers player is determined to stick it out in the Championship in a bid to further establish himself in England, where he's played his entire senior career.
"Probably once a month there's always someone trying to get me over there - an agent or someone who could probably profit from it as well, but it doesn't interest me," Luongo told beIN Sports.
"When the figures start flying about it does start to get in my head, then when I see what my mates are on or Diego Costa or whoever's flirting with it at the moment.
"But I still want to prove myself at the highest level I can here."
To date, Luongo's career progression has been a slog.
A member of Tottenham Hotspurs' youth team, he made one first-team appearance before permanently moving to League One outfit Swindon Town.
In 2015 the Asian Cup player of the tournament rejected a switch to then Premier League side Aston Villa in favour of regular club football at relegated QPR.
Luongo said his agent contrasted his situation to that of former Spurs youth teammate Harry Kane, who stayed at the club to become one of the best strikers in the world.
Yet he urged his client to keep "doing it the hard way".
"And I don't regret any of my choices," Luongo said.
"Leaving to Swindon on a permanent was the best thing I could have done, just getting first-team football was what I wanted and I proved myself at that level.
"At the moment I'm trying to prove myself at Championship level, I think I'll be better off if I do that and hopefully get to the top."
The decision to stay put will likely reap international rewards for Luongo.
The 24-time Australian midfielder is playing every week for QPR - a key selection factor for Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou as crucial World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup approaches.
His compatriots in China may soon encounter difficulty on that front, after the Chinese Super League unexpectedly reduced the number of imports allowed on the pitch from four to three.
Trent Sainsbury (Jiangsu Suning), Apo Giannou (Guangzhou R&F), Robbie Kruse (Liaoning Whowin) and Ryan McGowan (Henan Jianye) all currently play in the competition.
Sainsbury is particularly up against it to retain a starting spot in China against the likes of Brazilian stars Ramires and Alex Teixeira, Korea's Hong Jeong-Ho and Colombia's Roger Martinez.
Matthew Spiranovic may also struggle for quality club soccer after Hangzhou Greentown were relegated to the second division.
Source: AAP
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