Western Sydney Wanderers block Keanu Baccus’ European move
Keanu Baccus’s hopes of securing a move to Europe have been cut short as Western Sydney signalled their intention to retain one of their most promising youngsters. PLUS MORE A-LEAGUE TRANSFER NEWS.
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Western Sydney Wanderers have rejected a $350,000 transfer offer for Keanu Baccus from Danish Superliga club AGF.
The offer included a 10 per cent sell-on fee for the Wanderers, meaning they’d receive a cut of any transfer fee should AGF sell Baccus on.
Wanderers executives don’t want to sell the promising midfielder despite the 21-year-old wanting the move to Europe.
AGF are lining up Baccus as a possible replacement for Socceroos midfielder Mustafa Amini, who rejected a contract offer from the club last week.
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The Wanderers have boasted their devotion to investing in and producing Australian footballers but have decided not to reap the benefit of selling one of their most promising talents.
The financial windfall may not be worth it considering as Western Sydney currently sit in eighth spot and would be losing a starting midfielder, and adequate replacements are in short supply.
Baccus would be joining Olyroos teammates Alex Gersbach and Zach Duncan, who are both on the books at AGF. They currently sit in third place in the league during the Danish league’s winter break.
The move would have been the third time the Wanderers have accepted a transfer fee, having previously sold Matthew Spiranovic and Mark Bridge, both for in excess of $1 million in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
NOISY NEIGHBOURS
It’s not just the cowbells ringing before their first A-League season. Expansion club Macarthur FC are sending phones in the A-League mad.
The Bulls are building a reputation of becoming the A-League’s noisy neighbours, making countless enquiries to land players for their inaugural season.
Macarthur offered Central Coast youngster Lewis Miller a contract, but he knocked back the Bulls to sign a professional deal and stay at Gosford.
Mariners executives had to significantly step up their efforts to keep the youngster on their books, locking him in on a deal until 2022.
So far, Macarthur have only managed to sign up Mariners winger Tommy Oar, which was announced earlier this week.
Their cross-town rivalry with Sydney FC is already heating up, having flagged interest in negotiating with Paolo Retre, Joel King, Michael Zullo and Harry Van De Saag whilst entering a tug-of-war for Serbian ace Milos Ninkovic. All players have since re-signed with the Sky Blues.
CHINA CALLING DEGENEK
Socceroos defender Milos Degenek could be on the move to Asia again. According to reports in Croatia Red Star Belgrade have received transfer offers from Chinese Super League clubs Wuhan Zall and Shanghai SIPG. The offers are reportedly multi-year deals with one club offering $4 million for the Socceroo.
With the CSL now enforcing a salary cap, Degenek will be limited to earning $3.7 million while counting as an Asian player due to being Australian.
LUSTICA ON THE MOVE
Off-contract player Steven Lustica is weighing up offers from Uzbekistan and Australia.
The 28-year-old has been offered another contract by his club in Uzbekistan FC Qizilqim Zarafshon and isn’t ruling out a return to the A-League after receiving offers from Australia.
“At the moment I have the option to go back [to Uzbekistan],” Lustica told A-League Confidential. “I’m back in Australia enjoying some time with my family and my fiancee in Melbourne.”
WANDERERS YOUTH RAISING FUNDS
The Wanderers double-header at Bankwest Stadium on Sunday will raise money for Rural Aid as part of the two rounds of Hyundai A-League and Westfield W-League.
The Wanderers Y-League team will be outside the entry gates of Bankwest Stadium with all donations collected going to the Red Cross Australia’s Disaster Relief and Recovery Fund.
Originally published as Western Sydney Wanderers block Keanu Baccus’ European move