The 21-year-old has been on the radar of several European clubs since enjoying a breakthrough season with the A-League champions.

English Championship side Bolton Wanderers and Dutch club Roda JC Kerkrade are among those keeping an eye on the central defender.

Sainsbury’s agent Tony Rallis said the young Aussie acquitted himself well at the Swiss outfit but the move was predicated on the sale of Austrian international, Aleksandar Dragovic.

“They’ve said if Aleksandar goes overseas and he transfers then Sainsbury comes back,” Rallis told 2MM’s Soccer Stoppage Time.

“The philosophy there is he’d rather be playing than be sitting on a bench. And from a personal perspective, because of the relationship I have with the boy, I’d rather see him playing under (coach Graham Arnold) in the A-League for another year and establishing himself in the Socceroo camp.

“Having said that, he loved FC Basel.”

Sainsbury is one of a trio of young stars who looked set to exit Bluetongue Stadium.

Goalkeeper Mat Ryan has sealed a move to Belgium outfit Club Brugge while striker Bernie Ibini is close to finalising terms with Chinese Super League club, Shanghai SIPG.

Sainsbury is still a target of the Trotters.

“(Manager) Dougie Freedman from Bolton hasn’t given up on him,” Rallis said. “Big club, good coach – the standoff there is he wants him as a right back.”

Meanwhile UAE Pro-League Baniyas SC confirmed they have lost the battle for Aussie international Mark Milligan who is currently in the sights of newly-relegated club Queens Park Rangers.

Milligan, reportedly turned down an $800,000 one-year deal with the GCC Champions League with a potential three-year option worth $2.4 million.

The 27-year-old Melbourne Victory player was being courted to replace returning Sydney FC playmaker Nicky Carle as the club’s Asian import.

Milligan’s agent Buddy Farah told gulfnews.com: “The offer to Mark was not small but he took a lot of other things into consideration and was not simply swayed by money.”