Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
London: Massimo Luongo, player of the tournament as Australia won the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, has joined Queen’s Park Rangers, the official website of the London club has announced.
The 22-year-old playmaker joins the Championship club, who were recently relegated from the top-flight English Premier League, from Swindon Town on a three-year deal.
During his time at the Wiltshire-based club, where he played alongside Iraq international Yaser Kasim, Luongo scored six times and set up eight goals in the Robbins’ run to the League One play-off final to earn a place in the league’s ‘Team of the Year’.
Luongo and his Swindon Town team-mates missed out on promotion to the Championship after going down 4-0 to a Preston North End side that featured fellow Australians Bailey Wright and Neil Kilkenny.
Sydney-born Luongo had an outstanding AFC Asian Cup campaign where he put in a series of stellar displays to help Australia win the 2015 AFC Asian Cup on home soil with a 2-1 defeat of Korea Republic in the final.
In a man-of-the-match winning display, Luongo scored first international goal as the Socceroos kicked-off the tournament with a stylish 4-1 win over Kuwait before grabbing his second of the tournament in the final, scoring a minute before half-time to give the home side a 1-0 lead.
Luongo’s move to Loftus Road sees him renew acquaintances with current QPR boss Chris Ramsey, who worked with the young Australian while at Tottenham Hotspur’s academy.
"Mass is a player I know a lot about having played a part in his development at Spurs," Ramsey told QPR's website. "He brings quality on the ball, the ability to link up play all across the pitch, and his goals and assists record at club and international level speaks volumes for a creative midfielder.
"As with any young player, there are areas of his game that need improving, but knowing him as I do, I know he will embrace the learning curve of playing for us in the Championship."
Photo: WSG