It’s been an interesting transfer window for Hyundai A-League clubs with some managing to strengthen their rosters in key areas while others have seen some personnel released for new pastures. With the transfer window closing last week, here’s a full wrap of how your club fared heading into the last three months of the season.
Adelaide United
Ins: Miguel Palanca
Outs: Cassio, Fabio Ferreira
Ex Real Madrid man Palanca is the Reds’ main addition and it will be intriguing to see how Josep Gombau’s latest Spanish recruit adapts to the Hyundai A-League. Able to play anywhere along the forward line, Palanca is seen as the ideal replacement for Central Coast bound-winger Ferreira.
Brisbane Roar FC
Ins: Jerome Polenz, Luke DeVere, Andrija Kaluderovic
Outs: Mensur Kurtishi, Matt Acton
Roar has made some impressive signings to try and get their championship defence back on track. Polenz and DeVere add quality and experience to their defence while coach Frans Thijssen will be hoping Kaluderovic can fill the very large boots of Besart Berisha – something the released Kurtishi couldn’t manage.
Central Coast Mariners
Ins: Travis Major, Fabio Ferreira, Dejan Pandurevic, Zach Cairncross (ACL only)
Outs: Mitchell Duke, Malick Mane, Kim Seung-yong
The addition of Ferreira adds some much needed firepower to the Mariners attack, especially with Duke seemingly certain to head to J-League club Shimizu S-Pulse, pending a medical.
Melbourne City FC
Ins: Jack Clisby, Josh Kennedy, Safuwan Baharudin
Outs: Liam Miller
Kennedy made his debut in the weekend’s derby defeat to Melbourne Victory and looms as a key weapon in City’s quest to make the finals. Clisby and Baharudin add some more depth and competition for places in defence, which has been City’s Achilles heel for much of the campaign.
Melbourne Victory
Ins: none
Outs: none
No need for any re-enforcements for Victory boss Kevin Muscat, who will be hoping Frenchman Matthieu Delpierre will be close to a return from injury to bolster his defence for the big end-of-season matches.
Newcastle Jets
Ins: Daniel Mullen, Travis Cooper, Jess Vanstrattan, Lee Ki Je
Outs: Sam Gallaway, Marcos Flores, Jeronimo Neumann
There’s been plenty of turnover at the Jets in what’s been a tumultuous few weeks for the club. While they have let go of the likes of Gallaway, Jeronimo and Flores, Mullen, Cooper and Korean defender Ki Je are good recruits and coach Phil Stubbins is likely to bank on youth to try and turn their season around.
Perth Glory
Ins: Dragan Paljic, Denis Kramar
Outs: Jack Clisby
A season-ending injury to winger Youssouf Hersi has seen the league-leaders bolster their squad in the wide areas by bringing in exciting German Paljic. With Clisby moving on to Melbourne City, Kramar has been drafted in as central-defensive cover for skipper Michael Thwaite and Dino Djulbic.
Sydney FC
Ins: Mickael Tavares, Jacques Faty, Robert Stambolziev
Outs: Pedj Bojic
With season-ending injuries to four players hitting the Sky Blues hard, coach Graham Arnold has done some good business to rejuvenate his side. Senegalese cousins Tavares and Faty add some steel to Sydney’s spine and have experience from long careers in Europe.
Wellington Phoenix
Ins: none
Outs: Jeremy Brockie
There was little movement out of Wellington, with only Brockie heading to South African club SuperSport United.
Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Ins: Sam Gallaway, Yusuke Tanaka, Yujiro Takahagi, Kerem Bulut (ACL only), Kearyn Baccus (ACL only)
Outs: Daniel Mullen, Vitor Saba, Kwabena Appiah
Japanese imports Tanaka and Takahagi were originally signed for the club’s ACL commitments but could play a key role in their slim Hyundai A-League finals hopes after being added to the squad following Mullen’s and Saba’s release.
