Ikonomidis waiting on 'dream' Lazio deal

Australian rookie Chris Ikonomidis has contradicted reports that a senior contract with UEFA Champions League-bound Lazio is all but sealed but hopes that a dream deal to keep him with the Serie A heavyweight is close.

Socceroos youngster Chris Ikonomidis scored his debut goal in Serie B. (Getty) Source: Getty Images

The 20-year-old breakthrough Socceroos player, whose brace against Roma at the weekend secured the Coppa Primavera crown for Lazio, was lauded by senior coach Stefano Pioli for his performance in the 2-0 win and labelled “a humble boy who will join us next season”.

But a more cautious Ikonomidis insisted that despite a report on calciomercato.it announcing that a deal was all but agreed, no official offers have yet been forthcoming.

“I’ve seen the media reports but I haven’t received any offers or anything yet … nothing has really started and I haven’t heard anything official from the club," he explained.

“Of course it’s my dream to stay here and hopefully be part of a squad which has a 99 per cent chance of being in the Champions League next season.

“I have a love for the club, the fans treat me really well and have embraced me here. If I am lucky enough to get a new contract it would be a dream come true and another step through the door into a bigger pool.

“I would be a small fish in a very big pool."

The Sydneysider's double against Roma was made all the sweeter as it came in front of his parents who had flown into Rome from Australia the same day and headed straight for the game.

“We were down 1-0 from the first leg and we knew it was going to be hard because they have some real quality in the Roma team, players who already have Serie A experience,” said Ikonomidis, who made his debut for the Socceroos off the bench in the 0-0 draw against Macedonia in March.

“We did really well and to have my parents there made it even more special. They came over for my birthday (which was on Monday) and it just so happened we were playing the day they arrived and so they went straight to the Stadio Olimpico.

“All the big important people at the club were there, including the first team coach Stefano Pioli and in an interview after the game, he had some words of praise for me and said he would be finding some space in the first squad pretty soon and stuff like that.”

Lazio, which sits a point off Roma in third place on the Serie A ladder, has three league games left plus the Coppa Italia final against Juventus to look forward to.

And Ikonomidis, who was on the first team bench last week in the 4-0 win over Parma, is hoping to crack the  squad again before the end of the season.

“I am going to keep pushing as hard as I can and hopefully the chance will come … you never know,” he said. “I am just doing my part and whatever happens happens.”