Massimo Luongo has revealed that academy boss Bryan Klug played a part in his loan move to Ipswich from Tottenham.
Klug only returned to Portman Road recently after departing during Roy Keane’s time as manager and securing a new job as head of player development at Spurs.
It was during their time together at White Hart Lane that the pair first met and Luongo, who is on a season-long loan at Portman Road, said: "I think he put in a good word for me to come here.
"To be honest I didn’t know about Bryan’s connection with Ipswich. No one told me he was a legend here.
"I worked with him a few times in the youth team towards the end of my second year at Tottenham. I still get along with him and chat to him regularly.”
It was a strange coincidence that Luongo was signed by Spurs after becoming a fan of theirs from television coverage of the Premier League back home in Australia.
"One day my agent said to me ‘I have arranged a trial for you and it’s at Tottenham’. I came over on my own and then again when they asked me to sign.
"They looked after me and put me in digs. It took me some time to settle but eventually I got there. The other young lads at the club made it easy for me.”
Luongo is satisfied with his progress at Tottenham and said coaches Chris Ramsey and Tim Sherwood were keeping an eye on him at Ipswich.
He added: "They were at the game at Watford when I thought I did quite well and they have said they will be attending other games as well.
"My goal is to make it at Tottenham or at least in the Premier League but for the time being I am fully focused on Ipswich because this is a big part of my football education.”