Gold Coast United may be facing a battle to keep hold of star striker Shane Smeltz with a number of overseas clubs targeting the New Zealand hitman in the January transfer window.
Smeltz grabbed his second hat-trick of the season against Brisbane Roar on Saturday to take his tally to 18 – three more than the previous A-League season record with seven games of the 2009/10 campaign remaining.
That prolific form has alerted a number of clubs from both Asia and Europe who have made enquiries about the 28-year-old’s availability.
“I have had a number of agents representing clubs contact me about Shane, but I tell them they need to speak to Gold Coast United as he is their player,” Smeltz’s agent Leo Karis told AAP.
The former Wellington Phoenix striker will lead the All Whites’ attack at the World Cup in South Africa next year and although Smeltz is keen to keep playing right up until the start of the finals in June, Karis said he’s not desperate to exit the Gold Coast.
“There seems to be some belief that we are trying to get Shane out of the Gold Coast, but that is not the case,” he said.
“But everyone knows in football clubs make offers for players.”
Smeltz, who has a clause in his contract that allows him to move overseas should a club offer money for him, almost moved to Turkish outfit Genclerbirligi last year.
He also has a German passport which would make him an attractive proposition for clubs based in the European Union (EU) as there would be no visa related issues to prevent a move.
And although the Genclerbirligi’s Australian-based representative Dragan Jevtic said recently the Ankara outfit are unlikely to try and sign him again, Karis admitted Smeltz could be plying his trade outside of Australia next year.
“He is in fantastic form and strikers like him are a valuable commodity,” he said.
“Although there have been no firm offers the transfer window will be open next week so who knows what could happen.”
Gold Coast assistant coach Paul Okon is confident Smeltz will remain at the club and the former Socceroos, Lazio and Fiorentina midfielder believes Smeltz may not be ready for a move to Europe.
“His form has been excellent and he has a great ability to put away chances, but he still needs to work to improve on the other parts of his game, scoring goals in the A-League is very different to scoring goals in Europe,” Okon told AAP.
“He is very hungry to succeed and at 28 he will probably have one maybe two big contracts left in his career, but he must not just leave for the money.
“If he were to leave he must go to the right club and not one that spits him out at the first opportunity if he is not scoring goals and living up to the reputation he has at the moment.”
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