It was a huge weekend for Socceroos on and off the field, with Aussies hitting the scoresheet around the world – and two big names set for transfers as the countdown to Qatar continues.
Here’s all the action in our Roo Radar!
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Aussie midfield maestro Ajdin Hrustic appears to have found his next club. Exiled from Eintracht Frankfurt despite scoring a penalty in the shootout of the Europa League final, the Socceroos’ key midfield cog will miss out on playing Champions League football this season – but crucially, looks set to receive plenty of minutes in the lead-up to the World Cup.
According to Sky Sports Italy, Hrustic will move to Serie A club Hellas Verona, the Italian side currently placed 17th in the top flight. An announcement is expected in the next day or two, after he today travelled to the club to undergo a medical examination. He will sign a three-year deal with an option for a fourth season. Verona recently sold midfielder Antonin Barak to Fiorentina on a loan-to-buy deal, leaving them struggling without a creative playmaker – a role which Hrustic is likely to inherit.
The 26-year-old made 33 Bundesliga appearances in two seasons with Frankfurt, and could make his debut on Monday morning (2am AEST) against Sampdoria in a crucial early clash in the fight to avoid relegation.
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Also on the move is Massimo Luongo, who has been a free agent since being released by Sheffield Wednesday following last season. According to the Daily Mail (UK), he will join ladder-leading Championship side Reading as he attempts to force his way back into Socceroos contention for Qatar. The report states Reading and respected manager Paul Ince beat a raft of other interested clubs including relegation-threatened trio Middlesbrough, Huddersfield Town and Swansea for the 29-year-old’s signature.
The former Spurs youngster has 43 Socceroos caps but hasn’t featured on the international stage since 2019. Signing for the side leading England’s second division is a significant boost for his chances of a recall.
Staying in the Championship, where Riley McGree opened his account for the season and earned Middlesbrough their first win of the campaign in a 2-1 victory over Swansea. The 23-year-old attacking midfielder has started all six league games for Boro this season, and made his mark with a clinical finish into the bottom corner after a rapid counter-attack.
In Scotland, Aaron Mooy came off the bench in the 62nd minute for Celtic in their record-breaking nine-goal romp over Dundee United. Mooy has been deployed as one of a group of ‘closers’ for Ange Postecoglou’s men in recent weeks, and was again cool in possession as the Scottish giants crushed the bottom-placed side.
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Veteran fullback Aziz Behich was an unused substitute for Dundee, as was goalkeeper Mark Birighitti. Oddly enough, the result might help Birighitti’s chances of a recall to the starting spot, having been dropped for the past couple of games after conceding seven goals to AZ Alkmaar then four to Hearts.
Staying with Hearts, where centre-back Kye Rowles scored his first of the season in a 3-2 comeback win over St. Johnstone. Unfortunately, Rowles landed poorly after scoring the equalising header and hurt his metatarsal in his foot, with the results of a scan on the seriousness of the injury not yet known. Fellow young gun Nathaniel Atkinson played 62 minutes before leaving the pitch with a groin injury.
Both Martin Boyle (Scotland) and Kenny Dougall (England) played the full 90 minutes for their clubs, as did Cameron Peupion in Premier League 2 for Brighton’s under-21 side.
In Europe, Mat Ryan, Joel King, Jackson Irvine, Jason Davidson and James Jeggo all played full matches.
And there was good news for Olyroos gun Alou Kuol, who made the bench for VfB Stuttgart for the first time in a Bundesliga game. He was an unused substitute, but the 21-year-old attacker appears close to debuting in one of the five biggest leagues of the world.
In Japan, Mitch Duke continued his strong scoring form by pouncing on a goalkeeping error to lob the ball into an empty net in a 1-0 win for Fagiano Okayama in the second-tier J2 League.
It’s his sixth goal in 27 league appearances this season, with the club currently fourth and chasing promotion.
