Trent Sainsbury in limbo but Mark Milligan has England in sight

Trent Sainsbury’s hopes of a move back to Europe look to have hit the rocks with his club Jiangsu Suning playing hardball.

Trent Sainsbury, left, was one of Australia’s best players at the World Cup in Russia. Picture: Toby Zerna

Socceroos defender Trent Sainsbury’s hopes of a move back to ­Europe look to have hit the rocks, with his Chinese club, Jiangsu Suning, playing hardball over a ­potential transfer.

The 26-year-old’s impressive displays in the World Cup led to several inquiries about his availability and this week he flew to London for talks with English Championship side Queens Park Rangers.

However, a switch to Loftus Road, where he would have linked up with close friend and Socceroos teammate Massimo Luongo has hit the buffers after Jiangsu demanded a fee in excess of $1 million.

With less than six months remaining on his contract, this precludes any option of a loan deal.

Sainsbury has been told he is not wanted by the Chinese Super League outfit, which this week relegated him to their reserve squad, having loaned him out to Swiss side Grasshoppers in January.

Despite this, Suning are insisting on being recompensed for his services after handing him a $10m contract when he signed in ­January 2016. Unless the club drop their demands, the former Central Coast Mariners and PEC Zwolle player could be left in limbo until the new year with QPR already appealing a financial fair play (FFP) fine and unwilling to pay a fee for a player they know they can sign for free in January.

Rangers manager Steve McClaren is keen to add Sainsbury to his squad before the season starts on August 4 after experienced defenders Nedum Onuoha, Jack Robinson and James Perch left the club last month.

A decision taken by English clubs to close the transfer window early on August 9 immediately after a World Cup has also muddied the waters. That move was made to allow squads to be ­finalised before the start of the Premier League campaign on ­August 10 but it has further complicated the picture with selling clubs driving up transfer fees and buyers mindful of FFP.

A side in Greece are also keen to speak to the Perth-born centre-half but unless Suning drop their demands, Sainsbury will head back to China this weekend and see out the rest of his contract before leaving in the new year.

Socceroo Mark Milligan’s long-held dream of playing club football in England is still alive courtesy of Australia’s FIFA world ranking. And the club that wanted him this time last year — Bolton Wanderers — have renewed their interest in the 71-cap utility, who has been a free agent since his exit from Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli earlier this month.

English Championship outfit Bolton attempted to sign Milligan last July but were thwarted at the last moment because of FA regu­lations, which stipulated he would not be considered for a work permit because Australia’s average world ranking for the two years prior sat outside the world’s top 50. Unlike some Socceroos of Euro­pean heritage, Milligan does not hold an EU passport, which would allow him to circumvent that rule. But 12 months on, it now sits in Milligan’s favour.

The Socceroos have since improved their ranking to an average position of 44th in the world since July 2016 — clearing the way for Milligan and any other players who have featured in at least 75 per cent of Australia’s matches during that period to move to Britain.

Milligan’s agent, Buddy Farah, revealed that the former Melbourne Victory skipper had already turned down an approach from Scottish Premiership outfit Hibernian — the club where Jamie ­Maclaren played on loan at the end of last season.

Farah also confirmed Bolton were still keen on Milligan but indicated their current offer was not adequate.

Farah said “most” A-League clubs had also shown interest in Milligan, who turns 33 next month.

AAP