Wellington Phoenix squad: Who is staying, who is leaving and where to strengthen

ANALYSIS: Wellington Phoenix have confirmed the departure of seven players following the end of their creditable 2021-22 A-League Men campaign, leaving them with some holes to fill in the off-season.

Gary Hooper, Jaushua Sotirio and James McGarry have moved on following the expiration of their contracts, loan players Gael Sandoval and Matthew Bozinovski have returned to their parent clubs and scholarship players George Ott and Kurtis Mogg have not been retained.

With Louis Fenton announcing his retirement last week, that leaves the Phoenix with 15 players contracted for 2022-23, giving them a solid foundation to build on as they look to go better than their sixth place finish, though that number could rise further if off -contract midfielder Reno Piscopo re-signs.

The club’s lone A-Leagues All Stars representative harbors ambitions to return to Europe after three seasons with the Phoenix, but while he is a player they are desperate to keep hold of, Piscopo is said to be weighing up his options amid interest from a few other clubs in the A-League Men.

WELLINGTON PHOENIX

Wellington Phoenix midfielder buzzing to be picked for A-Leagues All Stars.

Fenton’s retirement at 29 was a shock but none of the other confirmed departures should come as much of a surprise.

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The Phoenix had already confirmed that Hooper would be leaving at the end of the season after negotiating an early release from his two-year contract to return home to England following a campaign hampered by injury, while joint top-scorer Sotirio and McGarry have been linked with the Newcastle Jets.

Sandoval drifted in and out of games and although he had his moments, the Mexican did not do enough to warrant signing on a permanent basis, and the writing was on the wall for younger players Bozinovski, Ott and Mogg as they barely featured, even when the Phoenix were in the midst of an injury crisis.

Of the seven players to exit, only two of them, Hooper and Sandoval, started in the elimination final.

Striker

Contracted: David Ball (2022-23), Ben Waine (2023-24)

Leaving: Gary Hooper, Jaushua Sotirio, and George Ott

What they need: A proven goalscorer capable of reaching double figures to replace Hooper and partner either Ball or Waine in the front two will be the big priority for the Phoenix and they will probably want a depth piece to provide cover as well. The main striker is almost certainly going to be a foreigner, which means the options are pretty much endless, while someone like Australian under-23 rep Trent Buhagiar would be a useful back-up to add to the mix. He was recently released by Sydney FC, would be a like-for-like replacement for Sotirio with his speed and is someone coach Ufuk Talay has previously worked with.

What kiwis are available?: All Whites forward Kosta Barbarouses has been released by Sydney FC following their disappointing campaign but while he is a proven performer in the A-League Men, a third stint at his hometown club seems unlikely after he cut his previous one short to return to Australia.

Mexican midfielder Gael Sandoval will not be returning to the Phoenix next season.

Mike Owen/Getty Images

Mexican midfielder Gael Sandoval will not be returning to the Phoenix next season.

Attacking midfield

Contracted: Ben Old (2023-24), Oskar van Hattum (2024-25)

Off contract: Reno Piscopo

Leaving: Gael Sandoval

What they need: Depending on who they sign to play up front, Ball could drop into an attacking midfield role, giving them another starting option there, but otherwise they are probably looking at one foreigner and if Piscopo departs, either a Kiwi or an Aussie that is good enough to command a starting role.

What kiwis are available?: Marco Rojas is coming off contract at Melbourne Victory and is someone the Phoenix should be doing everything they can to sign after rediscovering his sparkling form as he is the type of player that could make them a serious contender. Joey Champness is a free agent after his early exit from Turkish club Giresunspor but is keen to stay in Europe.

Central midfield

Contracted: Alex Rufer (2022-23), Clayton Lewis (2022-23), Nicholas Pennington (2022-23)

What they need: Injured captain Rufer will miss most of next season so the Phoenix would be wise to sign a starting midfielder that can partner Lewis as their lack of depth in central midfield was badly exposed this season, and this is where they should use their final import spot. Pennington is a backup option at best while Jackson Manuel is a long-term prospect and has been sent back to the reserve team.

What kiwis are available?: There is not really any that could step up and provide the impact the Phoenix need.

Left back

Contracted: Sam Sutton (2024-25)

Leaving: James McGarry

What they need: With McGarry leaving the Phoenix need to find a backup for Sutton, who is quickly developing into one of the best left-backs in the A-League Men.

What kiwis are available?: Former Auckland City player Dan Morgan is playing second-tier football in Australia after leaving Maritzburg United in South Africa and at 31 would offer some experience as well.

Young defender Finn Surman was the find of the Phoenix season.

Joe Allison/Getty Images

Young defender Finn Surman was the find of the Phoenix season.

Center back

Contracted: Scott Wootton (2024-25), Joshua Laws (2022-23), Finn Surman (2024-25)

Leaving: Matthew Bozinovski, Kurtis Mogg

What they need: Tim Payne’s versatility means the Phoenix are pretty well covered for centre-backs. Wootton and Laws formed a strong partnership until Laws got injured while 18-year-old Surman is still developing but will be better for the amount of game time he got towards the end of the season.

What kiwis are available?: All Whites captain Winston Reid remains a free agent and the chance to finish his career in New Zealand may hold some appeal after the World Cup qualifying campaign, but the Phoenix showed no interest in trying to sign him when he was released by West Ham in September . There are a few centre-backs in the National League that have been knocking on the door for an opportunity if the Phoenix did decide to bring in some cover, including the likes of Taylor Schrijvers and Sam Brotherton.

Right back

Contracted: Tim Payne (2024-25), Callan Elliot (2022-23)

Leaving: Louis Fenton (retired)

What they need: Unless they decide Payne is better suited to centre-back, the Phoenix are sorted for right-backs even with Fenton retiring.

What kiwis are available?: Noah Billingsley has returned to Wellington after being released by Major League Soccer club Minnesota United and his versatility, being able to play up front as well as at right-back, would make him a useful player to have in the squad. Kelvin Kalua made his All Whites debut recently but is still looking for a chance to play professional football.

goalkeeper

Contracted: Oli Sail (2022-23), Alex Paulsen (2023-24)

What they need: Sail is contracted for another year but it is possible that he will be sold to an overseas club after the season he has had which complicates things a wee bit here. The Phoenix have a ready-made replacement in 19-year-old Paulsen while 17-year-old reserve team player Henry Gray spent most of the season with the team in Australia. But if Sail does indeed depart then they may wish to replace him with an older head rather than go into a season with two teenagers.

What kiwis are available?: Bringing Stefan Marinovic back from Israel after his club got relegated could be a win-win for both parties, but if he came back on a multi-year deal what would that mean for Paulsen’s development?

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