EFL DUO CHASE AUSSIE KID

EFL Championship duo Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield Wednesday have reportedly made six-figure bids for Brisbane Roar hotshot Thomas Waddingham.

The Socceroos Under 23 international has been a shining light for the Roar during what has been a difficult season, building on his sensational debut campaign last year.

However with the vultures circling, the Black ‘N’ Orange are now resigned to losing their most prized asset, as they look to cash in on Waddingham before the end of the January Transfer window.

But what do we know about the young Aussie starlet? We outline what he could potentially bring to the English game…

THE ATTRIBUTES

Waddingham, who is still only 19, has enjoyed a promising start to his footballing journey after bursting onto the professional scene last season.

Born in Cairns, Queensland, Waddingham has been compared by some to Socceroos and Premier League legend Mark Viduka, but what parallels can we draw between the two?

Standing just shy of 6ft tall, the centre forward is a presence in attack and is known for his work-rate and high pressing game.

While he isn’t particularly pacy, Waddingham does have a knack of knowing where to be inside the 18 yard box - as his goal record testifies. As of today (08/01/2025), the forward has 11 goals to his name in 34 Brisbane appearances, which includes 4 in 11 this campaign.

THE LINKS

The main interest as of now has come from English Championship sides QPR and Sheffield Wednesday, with both reportedly firming up their interest with concrete offers over the past 24 hours.

However they aren’t the only admirers, with Middlesbrough and even Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich credited with an interest in recent times.

Brisbane have endured a torrid season so far and sit rooted to the bottom of the A-League. They are also severely hampered by their financial position and are desperate to cash-in on Waddingham - but also insist that the price has to be right.

That figure would likely be between £300,000 and £400,000 - which on face value would provide potential suitors with a low risk / high potential deal for the 19 year old.

THE VERDICT

For the price, this deal absolutely would make sense for any team at Championship level.

While Waddingham possesses the typical rawness of a young pro, he does have that natural goalscorers instinct that every club in the world is constantly looking for.

Initially, his introduction to English football may provide a baptism of fire for the kid from down under - in my view he’s not ready to start games at that level straight away, but long-term he could prove to be a sound investment once he further develops both his body and his tactical game.