Powerful defender Luke DeVere has extended his contract with Brisbane Roar until the end of the 2016/17 Hyundai A-League season.
The news comes as the 25-year-old prepares to join the Socceroos squad that will take on world champions Germany and Macedonia later this month.
DeVere, who is yet to make his Socceroos debut, will leave for Europe with Roar captain and 54-cap Socceroo Matt McKay after the Roar’s Hyundai A-League match against Wellington Phoenix at Suncorp Stadium tomorrow.
“Coming back after a while in Korea, the club wanted to have a look at me after being gone for so long and I wanted to see if the club was still the same as I remembered it,” DeVere said.
“I’ve been here for a few months now and everything is good, I am happy and enjoying my football.”
DeVere rejoined the Roar in January after a four-year stint in South Korea with K-League club Gyeongnam FC.
The Brisbane-born defender played 65 times and scored three goals when he played for the Roar from 2008 to 2011 and has been in outstanding form in the Hyundai A-League and the club’s AFC Champions League games in his return stint.
DeVere said he was still working hard on his fitness as the AFC Asian Cup break in January was essentially a pre-season for him.
“I’ve got a way to go but I’m getting better each game,” he said.
“It’s all about consistency now.”
DeVere played 65 times and scored three goals when he played for the Roar from 2008 to 2011 and has been in outstanding form in the Hyundai A-League and the club’s AFC Champions League games in his return stint.
Brisbane Roar Director of Football Ken Stead said the club was delighted DeVere had signed through to 2017.
“Luke is a good player and that has been conveyed by his Socceroos selection,” Stead said.
“He is a natural leader and I can see him being at the club for many years to come.”
DeVere has nine appearances for Australian at under-20 level, played twice for the national under-23 side and has twice been on the bench for the Socceroos.
He has played a full 90 minutes in the Roar’s last two Hyundai A-League games against Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers and started in all three AFC Champions League games so far – against Beijing Guoan (0-1), Urawa Red Diamonds (1-0) and Suwon Samsung FC (3-3).
