Max Caputo has emerged as one of the most talented players in the Isuzu UTE A-League. With Melbourne City looking to advance to the Grand Final on Saturday night, the youngster chats to aleagues.com.au.
Jamie Maclaren is long gone from the Isuzu UTE A-League, but the history-making striker’s influence on one of the competition’s most exciting frontmen cannot be understated.
Max Caputo is Melbourne City’s new main man; a spearhead and representation of the club’s successful academy system as the 19-year-old plays a key role in their quest to reach the 2024-25 Grand Final.
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Despite a serious injury derailing his start to the season, Caputo came into the campaign as City’s focal point after Maclaren – the league’s all-time leading goalscorer – departed for Indian powerhouse Mohun Bagan.
Those three years with Maclaren helped shape Caputo into one of the most talented young players in the A-Leagues.
“He took me to training some days early on,” Caputo told aleagues.com.au ahead of Saturday night’s Semi-Final second leg against Western United at AAMI Park.
“Him and Scott Jamieson (when I was 16).”
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“A father figure. Being 15 and he was obviously at the peak of his career.
“He was a great character off the pitch. He always helped me when I was down or even full of confidence. He would always give me tips and stuff, obviously being the same position. So can’t credit him enough.”
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Last season also says a lot about Maclaren’s character.
Out of form and struggling to find the back of the net, Aurelio Vidmar turned to Caputo for goals as City looked to secure a spot in the Finals Series.
Arguably the toughest task in the league, Caputo was tasked with stepping into the shoes of the greatest goalscorer in the competition’s history.
It did not daunt the teenager. The situation also provided an insight into the selflessness of a Socceroo.
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“I obviously felt a little bit of pressure coming in for probably Australia’s best goal scorer, A-Leagues especially,” said Caputo.
“I learned heaps off Maclaren. Trained with him for three years. He taught me a lot of things, goalscoring and off ball as well. Pretty good feeling.
“He talked to me before the games. He gave me a lot of motivation to play those games. All credit to him. And yeah, obviously trained well and worked for it. I didn’t feel the pressure too much.”
Caputo has not looked back. This season, he has scored a career-high five goals in 13 appearances, 10 of those starts.
All of this after a nightmare birthday and pre-season following a breakout 2023-24.
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Caputo, who joined City’s academy as a winger/attacking midfielder, underwent surgery to repair a syndesmosis injury and fractured fibula in August.
All of this on his 19th birthday. It was a huge blow, not only for Caputo but City, who had planned for the youngster to lead their attack.
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“A weird one,” Caputo reflected. “(It) just happened very quickly at training. In a training drill, got caught on the ground and yeah, (my) fibula broke. Then (I) got surgery three days later.
“Early on I had to work hard to get fully back to fitness and the strength, obviously that I was playing well at the start during Australia Cup and you just have to work back to get to the top level of fitness and strength that I had before the injury.
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“I took it as as it was, and day by day, got better and stronger. We’re here now. It goes quick now to think about those seasons, obviously coming to an end. Lots of challenges along the way but we’re here now, so happy with how I went.”
The second-youngest debutant in City’s Isuzu UTE A-League history aged 15, Caputo returned in February and has played a big role in the 2021 champions qualifying for the lucrative 2025-26 AFC Champions League Elite.
With five goals in his past nine matches, he also has City on the cusp of a Grand Final berth.
His exploits, given the nature of the A-Leagues and transfer market, will undoubtedly attract interest from abroad.
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Western Sydney Wanderers star Nicolas Milanovic has already earned a move to Scottish Premiership outfit Aberdeen, while Jaylan Pearman is poised to join EFL Championship club Queens Park Rangers after leaving Perth Glory.
There is also ongoing speculation regarding out-of-contract duo Noah Botic (Western United) and Adrian Segecic (Sydney FC).
Caputo, though, only has one thing on his mind.
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“It can happen (moving overseas),” he said. “This season you see Milanovic and Botic all linked to moves after very good season they both had.
“Young players and even (Archie) Goodwin, maybe strikers, all young players, and obviously I’m a bit younger than those players.
“But I’m at City now and we’ll see what happens when the times right. Focus for these final games and see where things go really.”
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But given Tony Popovic’s track record since taking the Subway Socceroos job in September, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that a senior Australian call-up could be on the cards in the future, should Caputo continue to impress.
Especially as the Socceroos still try to solve their striker dilemma.
“It’s good that Popa has come in, and he’s obviously looked at the A-League’s performing players like Milanovic is there now,” said Caputo. “He’s had a good season. Hasn’t been there before, and he’s young as well.
“So you look at these sort of players and you think, maybe I’m not too far away.
“It’s obviously sometimes in the back of the mind but me as a young player, I’m still eligible for the U20s World Cup in September, so I still look at those things more than the Socceroos. There’s heaps of opportunities there but I just take it day by day.”
