Transfer Rumour: Neill could land in the J-League

Lucas Neill’s quest to find a new club may be almost complete with J-League side Omiya Ardija said to be interested in the Socceroos veteran’s services.

Lucas Neill-s quest to find a new club may almost be complete with J-League side Omiya Ardija said to be interested in the Socceroos veteran-s services.

Neill played three games for Sydney FC last season and is now seeking first team football in order to secure his spot for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

His new suitors took a surprise lead in the competition earlier in the season but five straight defeats has seen manager Zdenko Verdenik shown the door with Takeyuki Okamoto installed in a caretaker role.

The side still sit in fourth on the table and believe that the experienced centre-back will help stop the flow of goals that the Saitama based side has been conceding in recent weeks.

The 35-year-old will not be completely all at sea in his new surroundings if a deal is struck, having trained with the Socceroos at the J-League club's home ground in the lead up to Australia's crucial World Cup qualifying match against Japan in June.

Neill had been linked to a move to the MLS and missed the EAFF East Asian Cup in an attempt to get a start in the league that both Tim Cahill and David Carney are now plying their trade in.

Australian coach Holger Osieck continues to stress the need for his players to be getting regular football in the lead up to the World Cup.

Having played for Blackburn Rovers between 2001-07, Neill has spent his last six seasons of professional football at six different clubs across England, Turkey, UAE and Australia. He will no doubt be hoping that if the deal does go through that he could settle in one of Asia's strongest leagues.

Omiya was formally managed by former Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek and Socceroos assistant Henk Duut.