Marco Rossi is leaving Wellington Phoenix after two seasons in the Hyundai A-League.
The Italian defender has announced via Instagram that he’s leaving Wellington to return home.
Rossi was a mainstay in Wellington’s defence in his first year at the club, starting 23 of their 27 games in the Hyundai A-League 2016/17 season.
But he’s been hampered by injury this season, starting just half of the Phoenix’s games and being overtaken in the central defensive pecking order by young Australian Dylan Fox.
After seven weeks on the sidelines, Rossi’s last action for the club was nine minutes off the bench in Saturday’s surprise 2-1 win over Melbourne City.
There are a further 13 Phoenix players off contract, including imports Goran Paracki, Matija Ljujic and Andrija Kaludjerovic and A-League stalwarts Andrew Durante and Michael McGlinchey.
Durante is expected to announce a one-year extension in the coming days.
General manager David Dome says the club is also close to naming a new head coach to replace Darije Kalezic who departed mid-season, leaving Chris Greenacre in interim charge.