Wellington Phoenix have promoted academy product Jayden Smith to the club’s senior Isuzu UTE A-League squad on a three-year contract.
The 17-year-old, who spent the past three months training under head coach Giancarlo Italiano, will spend the first two years of his new contract on scholarship terms.
Smith has been part of Wellington’s academy since the beginning of 2023, after playing his junior football for FC Nelson.
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After promoting the academy product to his senior squad, Italiano backed the teenage defender to become a regular starter at the club within the timeframe of his freshly-inked contract.
“Jayden’s already played three A-League sides in pre-season friendlies and he hasn’t looked out of place,” Italiano said.
“He has real physicality for a young player and his big stature is always good for a central defender.
“Jayden’s also really good with his feet as he’s previously played as a six.
“I feel like a couple of years in this environment will do him the best. If he can get a chunk of games by the time he’s 19/20 he’ll be pushing to be a starter.”
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Smith is the fifth player to have signed a scholarship deal with the club this off-season, joining Dublin Boon (scholarship contract), Matt Sheridan (upgraded from scholarship contract), Alby Kelly-Heald (upgraded from scholarship contract) and Corban Piper (scholarship contract).
Having put pen to paper on his three-year contract, Smith praised the Phoenix academy system for readying him for an opportunity in the club’s Isuzu UTE A-League squad.
“Since I started playing football my goal has been to play professionally,” Smith said. “And I’m lucky I got the opportunity at the start of last year to join the Phoenix academy and from there I’ve worked as hard as I can to climb the ranks.
“I’m really grateful for this opportunity the Phoenix have given to me and I’m really surprised how quickly it has come, but I try and stay in the present moment and work as hard as I can.
“I’ve just tried to be myself on and off the pitch and show what I’m capable of doing.
“A big thank you to the academy, (Phoenix Reserves head coach) Chris Greenacre especially, and everyone that has helped me get this far.”
