The Isuzu UTE A-League transfer window is closed for another off-season, and there have been big moves across the board ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.
Juan Mata is at Western Sydney Wanderers, Trent Sainsbury has returned to Central Coast Mariners, Japan international Hiroki Sakai has landed at Auckland FC, Socceroos keeper Mitch Langerak has signed with Melbourne Victory and Douglas Cousta has joined Sydney FC – and that’s just touching the surface regarding high-profile recruits. But what about those transfers that occurred early in the window, or flew under the radar, that you may have missed?
After the transfer window’s closure, aleagues.com.au provides you a list of 10 players to watch this season having made their respective moves around the Isuzu UTE A-League.
2024-25 SEASON FIXTURES
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DERBY DATES: The matches to circle in your calendar now
Hiroshi Ibusuki (Adelaide United -> Western United)
Four days out from the 2023-24 Isuzu UTE A-League Grand Final, Western United head coach John Aloisi showed he wasn’t willing to wait to begin shaping his squad for the new campaign as Hiroshi Ibusuki was confirmed as the club’s first new signing of the off-season.
Four months later, the towering striker is primed for another big season in the Isuzu UTE A-League, having scored his first goal in green and black in last week’s 2-0 friendly win over Melbourne City.
Ibusuki scored 15 goals in 26 games for Adelaide last season – the fourth-highest tally in the league. The Japanese marksman was one of the earliest signings of the transfer window, but could prove one of the best pieces of business league-wide heading into season 2024-25.
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Paulo Retre (Sydney FC -> Wellington Phoenix)
After one season in India with FC Goa, Paulo Retre is back in the Isuzu UTE A-League.
The 31-year-old central midfielder has joined Wellington Phoenix on a two-year deal. With 193 appearances to his name across stints at Melbourne City and Sydney FC, the two-time Premiership and Championship winner knows what it takes to get to the Isuzu UTE A-League summit and after Wellington’s Semi-Final finish in 2023-24, will add vital experience to Giancarlo Italiano’s squad.
Italiano spent time at Sydney FC as an assistant and head coach of the youth team where he got to know Retre as a player and a person.
“I had a lot of time with Paolo when he was at Sydney,” said Italiano when the midfielder signed for Wellington. “He’s a great person. He fits the environment that we like here.
“He’s been abroad, he’s had some good experience in India. He won the league a couple of times with Sydney as well, he’s been part of that winning group.
“A lot of last year’s success was about the young boys, but it was also contingent on the fact that all of the older boys stepped up.
“Kosta Barbarouses, Alex Rufer, all of them really made it easier for those young boys to shine. The priority for me is making sure we have a balanced squad.”
“In terms of the midfield role, he’s going to give us an extra layer, not only with the ball, but defensively he’s very good,” Italiano added.
“Bringing in Paulo is going to give us that one extra player that in those moments, can get us over the line.”
Walid Shour (Al-Ahed -> Brisbane Roar)
This off-season, Brisbane Roar’s signings have included an Olyroo, an Indonesian international, a USA youth international – and 27-cap Lebanese international Walid Shour, who joined the club in June on a two-year deal.
Shour was most recently on the books of Lebanese Premier League side Al-Ahed and his arrival in the Isuzu UTE A-League has instantly strengthened Brisbane’s midfield.
A squad member in Lebanon’s 2023 AFC Asian Cup campaign, Shour has won several trophies in Lebanese domestic football and lifted the AFC Cup trophy in 2019 with Al-Ahed. The 28-year-old played against the Subway Socceroos this year in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying and on return to Australia, hopes to win trophies with the Roar.
“Signing for Brisbane has been one of the easiest decisions I’ve made in my career so far,” said Shour upon signing his contract with Brisbane Roar.
“Playing for a club of this calibre has always been a dream of mine and after just one conversation with the coach and football director I felt an immediate sense of belonging. It was clear to me that this was where I wanted to be.
He added: “My goals for the upcoming season are to help the team compete for the league title and ideally secure some trophies for Brisbane Roar.”
Leo Sena (Agua Santa -> Sydney FC)
Douglas Costa isn’t the only Brazilian to have joined Sydney FC this off-season. His compatriot Leo Sena has also ventured Down Under to join the Sky Blues and the former Italian Serie A midfielder has been backed by Sydney head coach Ufuk Talay to make a big impact at the club this season.
Born in Sao Paulo, Sena started his career with Goais in Brazil’s Serie B, making over 130 appearances and scoring eight goals.
In 2018, he celebrated promotion to the country’s top flight and they preserved their Serie A status the following season with a 10th-placed finish.
Sena’s form resulted in a move to Brazilian giants Atletico Mineiro, worth an estimated $1m in 2020 and four months later he was loaned to Spezia in the Italian top flight.
Last year, he joined Bulgarian club Lokomotiv Plovdiv on a three-year deal but returned to his native Brazil via Agua Santa in 2024 before agreeing to join the Sky Blues.
Upon Sena’s arrival in the Harbour City, Sydney coach Talay outlined the qualities that make the 28-year-old an exciting addition to the squad.
“Leo is a quality individual and I’m delighted we have signed him,” he said.
“He is a great age for us and will give our young players the benefit of his experience.
“He has a fantastic engine for a midfielder, he keeps the ball incredibly well, makes quick, early decisions and has an excellent range of passing.
“He’s a good tackler too so I’m looking forward to watching him integrate into the squad.”
Anas Hamzaoui (RAAL La Louvière -> Perth Glory)
Perth Glory have been one of the busier clubs in the transfer market, making 14 new signings – and when it comes to Anas Hamzaoui, Glory football director Stan Lazaridis believes the left-back could prove the club’s best piece of transfer business.
The Belgium Under-18 youth international was on the books of two Belgian giants – Anderlecht and Club Brugge – as a junior and has arrived at Glory on a two-year deal from RAAL La Louvière.
Lazaridis said Hamzaoui’s signature was a pivotal piece of off-season business.
“Anas could be the biggest surprise package among all the players that we’re bringing in,” Lazaridis said.
“For me, his style is reminiscent of the French World Cup winner Bixente Lizarazu.
“He has a great engine for getting up and down and a really cultured left foot with which he provides excellent delivery into the box.
“It’s difficult to find quality left-backs and acquiring the services of someone like Anas was one of my top priorities.
“I’m confident that he will be a really important addition to the squad and a big hit with our members and fans.”
Alfie McCalmont (Carlisle United -> Central Coast Mariners)
It’s another Leeds United reunion on the Central Coast, as Northern Ireland midfielder Alfie McCalmont joins the Mariners to work under former Leeds coaches Mark Jackson and Danny Schofield.
The 24-year-old is vastly experienced for his age. Having joined Leeds’ youth system at the age of nine, McCalmont became a senior professional in 2018 and had loan moves away from the club at Oldham Athletic, Morecambe and Carlisle and by the time he was 23, had already accrued 100 senior professional appearances in the EFL as well as four Northern Ireland caps.
McCalmont played with fellow Leeds academy graduate Ryan Edmondson whilst on loan at Carlisle United and the two players will be teammates once again on the Central Coast.
Edmondson has provided the perfect example for McCalmont to attempt to try and emulate in Gosford; the Mariners striker joined the club last season and eventually became the club’s Grand Final hero, scoring twice in the title decider to win the Joe Marston Medal in the Mariners’ second-consecutive Championship.
“I am delighted to be joining the Central Coast Mariners,” said McCalmont when signing for the club.
“Knowing Jacko and Danny quite well from my time at Leeds, being able to work with them again is a great opportunity for me.
“I loved working with them in England and to see their success last season, it has been an easy decision.
“I have spoken to Jacko a lot about how he wants me to play in this team, the style suits me a lot, keeping the ball moving and attack-minded. I can’t wait to get to the stadium and play in front of our amazing fans this season.”
Jake Brimmer (Melbourne Victory -> Auckland FC)
Among Auckland FC’s 25 new player arrivals is a Johnny Warren Medallist who, on top form, could become the star of the Black Knights’ squad in the club’s inaugural Isuzu UTE A-League campaign.
Brimmer joined Auckland in July after four seasons at Victory. His career-best campaign came in 2021-22 when he earned the Johnny Warren Medal and Auckland head coach Steve Corica will hope to get the creative midfielder reproducing similar form through the 2024-25 campaign.
“He possesses immense talent that will take him beyond the A-League,” Corica said after securing Brimmer’s services.
“Auckland FC has the pathways to help him achieve that and we anticipate he will step up to his role within the club as a key contributor to the team’s success both on and off the field.
“He has superb passing range and the ability to score from anywhere within 35 yards of goal. Combined with his tenure in Victory’s leadership group, Jake has demonstrated dedicated progression from player to a key role model for his teammates.
“The next step is to continue to work hard on his game and at being the best player he can be for Auckland FC.”
Bart Vriends (Sparta Rotterdam -> Adelaide United)
In late June, Adelaide United pulled off a significant transfer coup when Sparta Rotterdam captain Bart Vriends agreed to trade life in the Dutch Eredivisie for the Isuzu UTE A-League.
The 33-year-old joined the club on a free transfer from Sparta. He made 215 appearances for the Dutch club where he was captain for eight seasons.
The central defender will bring vital qualities to an Adelaide defence that, barring any late moves confirmed after the closure of the transfer window, is lacking in experience following the departure of Lachlan Barr, Harry Van der Saag, Ben Warland and Nick Ansell.
Ahead of the first move abroad of his club career, Vriends explained why Adelaide was his preferred destination.
“I’ve always desired to play abroad during my career — new league, new playing style, culture, something completely different.” said Vriends.
“After eight wonderful years at Sparta Rotterdam, it was the perfect time to make that dream come true, but I was looking for something special, and I found that on the other side of the world.”
Bozhidar Kraev (Wellington Phoenix -> Western Sydney Wanderers)
All the attention will be on former Chelsea and Manchester United star Juan Mata in Western Sydney this season – but keep one eye on Bozhidar Kraev, who could prove a phenomenal piece of business for the club having joined the Wanderers from Wellington Phoenix.
Kraec scored 13 goals and supplied even assists during his two-season stint in Wellington. He was a key contributor to the club’s best-ever Isuzu UTE A-League campaign as the ‘Nix finished second and reached the Semi-Finals in 2023-24.
Now the 24-time Bulgaria international calls Western Sydney home, and is likely to slip under the radar with the eyes of the Australian footballing world fixed on both Mata at the Wanderers and Douglas Costa at Sydney FC.
Reno Piscopo (Newcastle Jets -> Melbourne Victory)
It feels like it’s make or break for Reno Piscopo after the Australian youth international joined Melbourne Victory from Newcastle Jets on a two-year deal.
The 26-year-old is back in his home city after stints at Wellington Phoenix and the Jets; he scored eight goals in 59 appearances for Wellington to earn A-Leagues All Stars selection in 2022 where he scored against LaLiga giants Barcelona.
He then joined the Jets in 2022 and scored two goals in 33 league matches. Impacted by injuries throughout his time at both Wellington and the Jets, the former Inter Milan and Torino youngster has been backed by new Victory head coach Patrick Kisnorbo to rediscover his best form in his hometown.
“We’re incredibly pleased to have a player like Reno at Melbourne Victory,” said Victory head coach Patrick Kisnorbo.
“A Melbournian at his roots, Reno is a versatile, attacking player who we believe with his attitude and work rate will add an exciting, creative element to our forward third.
“We believe Reno will thrive at Melbourne Victory and we’re looking forward to what he will produce at AAMI Park this season.”
