Town have confirmed the signing of former loanee Massimo Luongo on a six-month deal following his release by Middlesbrough, the Teessiders having announced his departure earlier this evening.

TWTD revealed in December that former loanee Luongo was training with the Blues squad to allow manager Kieran McKenna to run the rule over the 30-year-old.

“It’s been 10 years or so since I was here before and it’s great to be back,” Luongo told the club site.

“I want to be in a team that’s doing well and I think that this is a good opportunity here. I’m delighted to get the deal done and now I’m focused on helping the team get promotion.”

Town boss Kieran McKenna added: “Massimo is an accomplished midfielder with an abundance of experiences in club and international football.

“He is a versatile and intelligent player who strengthens our options for the second half of the season. His experience and professionalism will also be an important addition to our dressing room.”

Luongo, who will wear the number 25 shirt, was with the Blues during the early stages of the 2012/13 campaign on loan from Tottenham - where he crossed paths with McKenna - before being sent back to White Hart Lane by Mick McCarthy soon after he took over having made eight starts and three sub appearances, scoring once.

The Sydney-born midfielder subsequently had spells on loan at Swindon before joining the Robins permanently in 2013.

After two years at the County Ground, he moved on to QPR in 2015, then four years later signed for Sheffield Wednesday.

He left the Owls last summer when he joined Boro on a short-term deal to January, however, he didn’t play a minute for the Teessiders, who are now managed by McKenna's close friend and former Manchester United colleague Michael Carrick.

Capped 43 times by Australia, scoring six times, Luongo was in the Socceroos’ squads for the 2014 and 2018 World Cups without featuring in either tournament but scored in the 2-1 Asia Cup victory over South Korea in 2015, however, hasn’t been involved with his national side since 2019.

Town had also been looking to add Peterborough’s Jack Taylor to their central midfield ranks during the January transfer window but Luongo's addition means the Blues are not currently pursuing that move, although the 24-year-old may well be targeted again in the future.

Photo: ITFC

BrettenhamBlue added 21:04 - Jan 5 Bang average player? He was a former Ballon D'or Nominee!
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legoman added 21:06 - Jan 5 YeeeeeeeeHa great signing.
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Bazza8564 added 21:10 - Jan 5 Guys, we have Ball and Camara out, Humphreys is just 19 an literally still growing, Morsy has a tendency for a yellow card or two and Evans is just back from a longish lay off. How can this be anything other than a good option. So the guy's left a L1 club hoping for a Championship run, got signed but it didnt work out. So what? As someone said above, Morsy was the same and we love him. Football clubs have different systems and different ideologies, who is to say he wont fit in here, KM knows him and obviously rates him and we are short in MF. It doesnt mean we cant get Taylor too, it just means we may have to move a player or two out if thats going to happen now. Thats all. Welcome back fella, lets make sure we look after you properly and you get to do the business for us!

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BrettenhamBlue added 21:12 - Jan 5 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/34425264
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Nomore4 added 21:13 - Jan 5 Gforce. Normally in agreement with your opinions….not this time. You will be proved wrong.
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Gforce added 21:36 - Jan 5 Luongo....Ballon D'or 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 They'll have Jackson on it next 🤣🤣
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churchmans added 21:47 - Jan 5 GForce 😆 🤣 😂
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bluelad7 added 21:49 - Jan 5 Good signing, welcome back.
1

Sospiri added 21:56 - Jan 5 He's a sensible, decent, mature, easy-going sort of guy and could be very useful if Morsy or Evans get injured again.
5

pablo123 added 22:02 - Jan 5 OMG REALLY !!! Not what we need at all imo !!!
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blueboy1981 added 22:05 - Jan 5 Cue:- ‘Hissy Fit Brigade' - another Star Reject from elsewhere. Will we EVER learn and maintain forward motion ??
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Pettabelieveit added 22:08 - Jan 5 League experience, no fee, short term deal and has clearly earned the opportunity by impressing the boss in the weeks he has spent training. One can only assume this signing also means that money is being prioritised elsewhere.
4

HARRY10 added 22:16 - Jan 5 Very injury prone in 3 seasons at Weds, then half a season at Boro where he did not play - not even as a sub. I suspect that is why there is only a 6 month contract given. And why no other club has come in with a longer contract.
1

rogie_dog added 22:17 - Jan 5 Just the experienced cover we need. If he ends up keeping place - bonus
2

budgieplucker added 22:53 - Jan 5 Message back to the underwhelmed: this is an insurance policy signing, no risks attached and I don't see Evans not getting another knock or two and missing games, hopefully Samy remains injury free but suspension free he will not be!!! This guy has recently performed at the top of Division 1 and will be as good as any midfielder in this Division as any you will find. He has played regularly at international level and has a few seasons performing well in Championship with QPR. With longer term players like Ball and Camera injured this is actually a no brainier for a short term deal.

4

ringwoodblue added 22:59 - Jan 5 Really hope he stays fit otherwise he will be another Camara and Ball.
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Gforce added 23:12 - Jan 5 Cheers Nomore4 ,I sincerely hope you are correct, time will tell.
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sotd78 added 23:27 - Jan 5 For all the naysayers you really need to get all the facts. We've bought in a cover player for CM position. Staying under the wage spend cap, not tying us to anything beyond the season, experienced, fit, used to the area and the club. Obviously we can't get Jack Taylor at the right price. This is a good signing.
6

LondonBlue73 added 00:00 - Jan 6 All those of you slating this signing and being underwhelmed let's please have some perspective. Facts are he was a great player for QPR in the championship for 4 years. He was a standout player for Sheffield Weds last season. He has had a bad experience and no game time at Boro, same as Morsey, remember Jim Magilton didn't play for Sheffield Weds before he came to us, remember Daryl Murphy before he signed, DJ Campbell? Some clubs don't work out He has trained with the team for two weeks and been offered a contract, perhaps trust the management team. Unlikely to be a regular starter but brings experience, pedigree and positive options, no fee, no risk but plenty of upside. People be real and stop searching for negatives.

2

PimsNumber1 added 00:27 - Jan 6 I stand by what I said ....was let go by Wednesday....Boro thought he was only worth a 6 month deal ( odds are Wednesday offered same or nothing otherwise why accept 6 months ? ) and then ...he plays zero minutes. He's going to be another bloke like tge Brentford guy who's hond legs had gone ...Douglas that's the one ....talking of which they shifted judge to us too 😳

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Sospiri added 01:42 - Jan 6 At the moment we have Morsy and Evans, and Humphries, who is very slight, and only 14. This guy is prefect cover. Well, he looks 14 to me anyway.
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MalcolmMeatballHead added 02:38 - Jan 6 Wishing him all the best. Welcome back to our great club
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dirtydingusmagee added 05:15 - Jan 6 welcome to Town Massimo,hope we have a great 2nd half of season and get out of this mire COYB
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Len_Brennan added 08:24 - Jan 6 I don't get the negativity about this signing at all. He is not going to be our key/marquee signing of this window & will not prevent us from signing forwards, and he is free on a short term contract. We are also overlooking the fact that he has been in on trial for the last 2 weeks, so that must lessen any injury concerns we might have or that he will replicate the Camara debacle. He is only 30, proven to be a very decent player at this level (and higher) & knows the club. We need centre midfield cover, for all the reasons Bazza8564 sets out above, so even if he just provides comfort on the bench he will have been worth the free acquisition. Likes like 2 forwards will be joining today, so all good in my book.

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 08:25 - Jan 6 I think the standard, commonsense view of this is that, with Camara and Ball out of the reckoning for now, we need cover for Evans and Morsy. This is a loan until the end of the season, so not too much financial commitment, after which we can review the situation. McK has had the chance to see what Luongo is like, and most of us trust his judgement. So what's not to like? And anyway, what would be the alternative? An over-priced Taylor? It all seems very logical to me.

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