The 2024-25 season is now behind us as clubs in the Isuzu UTE A-League gear up for the upcoming transfer window. Over at aleagues.com.au, we’re breaking down what your club needs during this off-season.
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Adelaide United
One urgent issue for Adelaide United to address this off-season is their defensive line.
Former head coach Carl Veart described it as the team’s “Achilles Heel” towards the end of the 2024-25 campaign, with the Reds conceding 55 goals during the regular season, a slight increase from the 53 goals allowed in the previous year.
Adding those numbers up yields 103 goals, or 106 if you include the 3-2 Elimination Final defeat against Western United.
New manager Airton Andrioli has plenty of work ahead after taking over from Veart, starting with rectifying the defensive vulnerabilities.
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Last season, Adelaide employed three different goalkeepers — James Delianov, Ethan Cox, and Max Vartuli. While Dutch veteran Bart Vriends formed a promising partnership with young talent Panagiotis Kikianis in the centre of defence, far too many goals were still conceded.
Whether it’s in goalkeeping, central defence, or full-back positions, strengthening Adelaide’s defensive third is their topmost priority.
Auckland FC
Auckland FC has made quite the splash in their inaugural season, clinching the Premiership and narrowly missing out on a Grand Final spot.
The Black Knights set numerous records throughout a stellar A-League campaign.
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Although Auckland remains robust across all positions, the loss of key goalkeeper Alex Paulsen — who has returned to Premier League club Bournemouth after his loan — necessitates finding a replacement of similar calibre. They’ll also need to fill the gap left by Colombian forward Neyder Moreno to improve upon their 2025-26 campaign.
Brisbane Roar
A new chapter begins with Michael Valkanis taking charge at Brisbane Roar. The objective is clear: reclaim the glory days and secure a spot in the Finals Series once more.
To achieve this, the Roar must bolster their squad, particularly in the attacking department.
Brisbane managed to score only 32 goals in 26 matches during the 2024-25 season, ranking as the fourth lowest in the 13-team league. Thomas Waddingham contributed four goals before moving to EFL Championship side Portsmouth in January, while breakout midfield star Samuel Klein topped the team’s goal tally with five.
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Replacing Waddingham will depend on Asumah Abubakar’s future. The Portuguese forward made an impact, scoring four goals in 12 appearances after joining mid-season on a temporary contract.
Defensive reinforcements are also needed, as the Roar conceded the fourth most goals in the league (51). Academy graduate Lucas Herrington shone but could be on the move from Suncorp Stadium.
Central Coast Mariners
Who will step up to fill Brian Kaltak’s shoes?
This question looms large for the Central Coast Mariners after the club stalwart’s move to Perth Glory at the end of the 2024-25 season.
His departure creates a significant gap in defence, particularly considering Trent Sainsbury’s injury-stricken return, which saw him struggle with what appeared to be Achilles issues toward the latter part of the season.
Having won a historic treble while competing in the AFC Champions League, the Mariners also found scoring a challenge.
Only two clubs netted fewer goals than Central Coast in the 2024-25 campaign, with Alou Kuol finishing as their top scorer with a mere four goals.
Could a veteran like Bruno Fornaroli, who is currently out of contract, help address their attacking woes?
Macarthur Bulls
The Macarthur Bulls saw significant exits this season with Jed Drew, Valere Germain, Ariath Piol, and Jake Hollman all departing.
How the Bulls plan to refill this talent pool will be intriguing, especially given their track record of nurturing players from their own ranks.
Losing Drew, Germain, and Piol means replacing a significant amount of assists and goals. They do, however, have Harry Sawyer and have granted a scholarship to promising young gun Zane Helweh, who led the senior academy team in goals.
Nevertheless, they will need a proven goalscorer, alongside perhaps another midfielder, given Hollman’s exit, and the future of last season’s Player of the Season, Kealy Adamson, remains uncertain amid links to clubs in England.
Melbourne City
As the reigning champions, what do Melbourne City need moving forward?
The departure of Steven Ugarkovic, a crucial component of their midfield and vital to their Grand Final success, signifies a considerable gap. With uncertainties surrounding Jimmy Jeggo’s future, adding another midfield player seems imperative.
Melbourne City has successfully showcased their youth academy, with several graduates making positive contributions at the first-team level. Expect to see more talent emerge, complemented by some seasoned additions to maintain their championship standard.
Marco Tilio’s loan deal has concluded, but reports suggest the club is hoping to bring him back. If that doesn’t materialise, the attacking positions may require bolstering.
Melbourne Victory
Melbourne Victory is preparing for several changes following consecutive Grand Finals.
Kasey Bos (Mainz) and Daniel Arzani (Ferencvaros) have secured moves to Europe, leaving Victory needing reinforcements at full-back and in attack. Then there’s also the uncertain fate of out-of-contract forward Bruno Fornaroli.
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To replace Bos, Victory may either look within their academy or to the market. The same applies for filling the gap left by Socceroo Arzani.
Moreover, given the advancing age of captain Roderick Miranda and Brendan Hamill’s recovery from a severe knee injury, further defensive reinforcement may be necessary at AAMI Park.
Newcastle Jets
A new coach brings a fresh vision and a need for new talent.
With A-League veteran Mark Milligan taking over from Robert Stanton at McDonald Jones Stadium, the young Australian manager is set to continue building on his predecessor’s efforts.
Lachie Rose emerged as a key player for the Jets after returning from injury last season, but the team requires added firepower, particularly amid speculation regarding the futures of Clayton Taylor and Eli Adams.
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Apart from bolstering the attack, defensive improvement is essential. Mark Natta is one of the competition’s standout young defenders, but further strengthening across the back line is crucial to improve on the 44 goals conceded in the 2024-25 season.
Perth Glory
David Zdrilic’s Perth Glory have acted swiftly in the off-season to rebuild their squad.
After enduring two consecutive wooden spoons, Glory has clearly addressed some major concerns by securing Vanuatu international defender Brian Kaltak from Central Coast Mariners, alongside former Manchester United youth Scott Wootton and Sam Sutton.
Mark Birighitti, Callum Timmins, and Arion Sulemani have also made their way to Western Australia.
For the 2025-26 season, Perth must share the scoring burden with Captain and talisman Adam Taggart, who netted 10 of the club’s 22 league goals last term, while needing to boost their overall goal tally.
Sydney FC
Sydney FC is on a quest after narrowly falling short of the Finals Series in 2024-25.
Despite an impressive run to the AFC Champions League Two semi-finals, the Sky Blues could not crack the top six.
While Sydney still boasts a plethora of talent, they must address last season’s shortcomings without Golden Boot winner Adrian Segecic, who seems set for a move to Europe.
The young super-sub contributed 13 goals for Ufuk Talay’s squad. Furthermore, with Patryk Klimala concluding his loan spell, the team is losing two proven goal-scoring threats.
Wellington Phoenix
Giancarlo Italiano is securing his position in Wellington, aiming to rebound from the missed chance at the 2024-25 Finals Series.
This requires a squad rebuild, particularly following the retirement of club legend Kosta Barbarouses, along with the exits of Scott Wootton and Sam Sutton.
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First and foremost, Wellington needs a striker to cover for the loss of Barbarouses. Additionally, they require a new central defender and full-back due to the departures of Wootton and Sutton. To rectify their goal-scoring problems from 2024, forward additions and increased creativity will likely be a priority for Chiefy.
Western Sydney Wanderers
CommBank Stadium enjoyed a thrilling atmosphere in 2024-25, as Alen Stajcic’s dynamic Wanderers reached the Elimination Final.
The challenge ahead is to not only build on last season’s successes but to replace key players lost as a result of their triumphs.
Johnny Warren Medallist Nicolas Milanovic (Aberdeen), star forward Zac Sapsford (Dundee United), and Swedish striker Marcus Antonsson have all left the club. That’s a significant amount of quality, goals, and creativity that requires replacement.
Western United
This past season was a historic one for a youthful Western United side under Socceroos icon John Aloisi.
With numerous academy graduates making their mark, the Green and Black finished third, falling in the Semi-Finals to eventual champions Melbourne City.
Noah Botic led the attack with an impressive 15 goals, but with the star player’s potential departure looming, Western must find a way to fill the gap.
Should Angus Thurgate also attract interest from clubs, it might prompt the club to explore additional midfield options and further depth in the full-back positions.
Compiled by SportArena.com.au.
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