Former Liverpool stopper Dean Bouzanis is one of three goalkeepers Wellington Phoenix are in discussions with.
Former Liverpool stopper Dean Bouzanis is one of three goalkeepers Wellington Phoenix are in discussions with.
Bouzanis, 20, was released by the English Premiership club in April and has also been linked to Phoenix’s A-League rivals Melbourne Victory.
“We’ve had probably a little more dialogue in the past 24 hours and there’s no immediate signs that it (Bouzanis’ signing) will happen,” said Wellington coach Ricki Herbert on Friday.
“I think it’s in a space where potentially it could happen. Two of the others (the Phoenix are interested in) are contracted but let’s see where we get to.”
“We’re looking to have two goalkeepers but we’ve got three goalkeepers we are talking to. We’d bring a goalkeeper to the club that would be good enough to be No.1, someone who is going to come and rival and challenge Mark (All Whites goalkeeper, Mark Paston).”
Following Niko Tsattalios’ signing 10 days ago, the Phoenix now have 15 of the required 20 players for the 2011/12 A-League season.
Herbert was confident the financial issues that have plagued club owner Terry Serepisos for months now would not harm his recruitment drive as he looked to fill the five remaining slots.
“We’ve got everything we need and I’ve got a very healthy list of players that we’re talking to at the minute,” he said.
“We want to bring a good striker to the football club. I want to bring a good attacking midfield player to the club and I want to bring a strong, competitive goalkeeper to the club.”
“The other two would predominantly be under-21 unless the goalkeeper is under-21. So if Dean did come to the club he’s under 21.”
Herbert said ideally the striker and attacking midfielder would be more “prominent” players from abroad and he confirmed that discussions with two Europe-based players were “still going on very strongly”.
“I don’t think we’ve got a problem in getting one of them. I think that’s the least of our issues. It’s a matter of which one. There could be a chance in the next few weeks that we see one in New Zealand,” Herbert added.
“It’s not about money. It’s not about off-field things – the club has got nothing to do with that at all. If we wanted to sign one tomorrow we could. But we’ve got to get them to agree.”
“You’re dealing with an agent. You’re dealing with a player. You’re dealing with a potential registration at a club. There’s a lot of mechanisms in there.”
Herbert will also be paying close attention to the New Zealand Under-20s World Cup campaign in Colombia in his search for a central defender and midfielder.
But he is also keen to see more of Australian defender Bryan Bran who spent two weeks on trial in Wellington earlier this month.
The 20-year-old, currently playing in the Victorian Premier League for Oakleigh Cannons, will be invited to join the Phoenix again for their pre-season game against Melbourne Heart on August 26.
Another Australia, striker Matt Thurtell, is also on trial at the club.
“We’ll have a look at him. He’s young but there’s pedigree there,” Herbert said of the Brisbane Strikers player who has notched 17 goals already this season.
“He’s scoring a lot of goals in an okay premier competition but he’ll have to be here for a couple of weeks for any decision to be made.”
Spaniard Dani Sanchez, who was released by Scottish Premier League club Inverness Caledonian Thistle, has also opted to stay in the New Zealand capital to push for a contract despite still struggling with a thigh injury which has prevent him from playing or training with the side.
