Massimo Luongo Agrees to New Deal and Ipswich Loan

News out of Bull's Cross, as Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Massimo Luongo has agreed to a new contract through 2014. Correspondingly, Luongo will join Championship-side Ipswich Town on a full-season loan for 2012-13.

Luongo, 19, made his first team debut in last season's Carling Cup loss to Stoke City. The young Australian plays in an anchoring midfield role, and was a leader of last season's NextGen U-19 squad. He has been capped twice for the Australian U-20 National Team.

"Joining Ipswich on loan is a great opportunity for me and I'm really looking forward to challenging for a first-team place here," Luongo said on his move to The Tractor Boys.

The Ipswich side Luongo is joining has been in the Championship for a decade after being relegated from the Premiership in 2001. Brian Klug, Ipswich's current Technical Director, is a former Tottenham academy coach and helped supervise Luongo's arrival in January 2011. Luongo will likely fill the roles of the departed Lee Bowyer and Grant Leadbitter as he challenges to start in the Ipswich central midfield.

A strong loan will not only improve Luongo's chances of latching on with the Tottenham Hotspur midfield in the future, but perhaps put Luongo in the eye of the Australian National Team as they push to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.