The Isuzu UTE A-League’s mid-season transfer window has now officially closed with plenty of clubs strengthening their squads on Deadline Day.
Read on below as aleagues.com.au takes a look at some of the eye-catching moves as well as those that may have crept under the radar, with 33 players finding a new home in the A-Leagues and 34 more parting ways with their former club.
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WEEKEND PREVIEW: What you need to know for Round 19 of the Isuzu UTE A-League
Macarthur’s search for more magic in final third
With forwards Ariath Piol and Jed Drew leaving the bulls for Real Salt Lake and TSV Hartberg respectively, Macarthur boss Mile Sterjovski desperately needed to bring in attacking reinforcements during the January window.
Enter Tunisian international and former Olympique Marseille attacking midfielder Saîf-Eddine Khaoui.
At 29, Khaoui arrives in Campbelltown having most recently played in the UAE Pro League and will add additional creative spark and flair in the final third for the Bulls.
A former teammate of Bulls skipper Valere Germain in Marseille, the No.10 has been brought in on a deal until the end of the season as Sterjovski looked to add to an attack which has now been stripped of both goals and assists following the departure of Drew in particular.
“Saîf is a player that will certainly add quality to our squad,” said Bulls boss Sterjovski when Khaoui was signed.
“I’m sure he will excite the football fans at our club and around the league with his dribbling and passing.”
According to Opta data, Macarthur lead the league in Expected Goals (xG), have created the second-most ‘Big Chances’ (55) while they also rank third for Shots on Target per match and the introduction of Khaoui is likely to help those numbers.
A product of the famous Clarefontaine football centre in France, Khaoui played over 200 games across all competitions whilst in France and chalked up 26 goals and 16 assists.
Not only have Macarthur seemingly added a creative and versatile player to their ranks in January, they’ve also added a hefty amount of international experience given the midfielder also feature for Tunisia at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
Joining the Khaoui at the Bulls in January was experienced central defender Kevin Boli.
With young defender Ollie Jones sold to Danish side Randers and off-season recruit Dino Arslanagic departing the club via mutual consent last month, the Bulls looked light in the heart of their defence.
WEEKEND PREVIEW: What you need to know for Round 19 of the Isuzu UTE A-League
Aged 33, Boli is a former Ivory Coast Youth International and joined Macarthur on a deal until the end of the season having previously played all over the world.
With a resume that includes clubs in China, Romania, Belgium, Turkiye and most recently Iran, Boli adds much-needed depth to a Bulls defence that has conceded 24 goals so far this season.
Glory secure game-changing free agent and defensive steele
When David Zdrilic came into Perth Glory in the off-season, the club quickly set about ringing the changes and freshening up their squad.
A whole host of new faces arrived including the likes of South American duo Luis Canga and Cristian Caiceido but fast-forward a few months and a disappointing start to the season saw the club make the decision to move some of those new faces and a few existing players on to pastures new.
Following Canga and Caiceido out the door were Mustafa Amini, Luke Bodnar, Jacob Muir, Jarrod Carluccio and Abdul Faisal meaning the Glory football department were once again preparing to target a whole host of new players to fill those spot.
In total, Perth Glory signed SEVEN new players during the mid-season transfer window and it’s fair to say a few of them have settled straight into life in Western Australia.
At the heart of his defence Zdrilic now has a new centre-back partnership following the return of ex-Glory defender Tomislav Mrcela, who was most recently playing in Croatia, and former Wanderers defender Tass Mourdoukoutas, who signed having departed his club in Canada.
Furthermore, Glory also added some experience and steel to their side after signing Japanese duo Yuto Misao and Takuya Okamoto on deals until the end of the campaign, with both men having played a combined 600 matches in Japanese football.
However it’s in the final third where Glory may well have done their best business.
Whilst he isn’t necessarily renowned for his goalscoring antics, Wood does bring a tireless work ethic to the side, a quality that Zdrilic would have experienced first-hand during his time as assistant coach at Sydney FC, and the player will no doubt act as the perfect foil for his new strike partner.
But arguably the club’s best piece of business was the signing of Isuzu UTE A-League Champion, Lachie Wales.
POT LACH: Perth Glory sign A-Leagues champion in exciting start to transfer window
A free agent having most recently left Korean side Gyeongnam FC, Wales was snapped up by the Glory early in the window and has made an immediate impact since joining the side.
Already registering a goal and an assist in his first three matches for the club, the 27-year-old has added plenty of attacking threat to Perth and it’s clearly benefitting teammate Taggart in the final third.
Glory’s final move of the window was to bring 27-year-old Tottenham Hotspur product Luke Amos to the club to strengthen Zdrilic’s midfield stocks.
Amos has had an injury-impacted career so far but after more than a decade at Spurs and over 80 English Championship appearances at Queens Park Rangers, the versatile midfielder is an exciting addition to the squad with potential to make a big impact in the west.
READ MORE: Glory land Spurs product with help from four Aussies and two A-Leagues icons
Sky Blues turn to seasoned A-Leauges defender to help stem the flow
Losing Socceroo Hayden Matthews to English Championship side Portsmouth was certainly a bitter-sweet moment for Sydney FC.
On the other hand, they lost a key defender, albeit one who was already part of an under-fire defence that has conceded the most goals in the top six so far and is the third leakiest in the league this season.
WEEKEND PREVIEW: What you need to know for Round 19 of the Isuzu UTE A-League
Filling Matthews’ sizeable shoes will be former Perth Glory centre-back Alex Grant, who has signed a deal until the end of the current Isuzu UTE A-League season.
Most recently playing for Chinese Super League side Tianjin Jinmen Tiger, Grant brings both defensive solidity and size to a Sydney FC defence that has been makeshift of late.
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Already on loan at the club from K League 1 side Gwangju FC, fellow central defender Alexandar Popovic was also signed on a permanent basis during the window however he remains sidelined as he continues to battle a groin issue.
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So with Grant yet to feature for the club given he’s still lacking match fitness, Popovic injured and Matthews now in the UK, Sydney FC’s defence has been a mish-mash of late as Talay bids to plug the gaps at the back caused by injuries and departures.
Captain Rhyan Grant has been shifted from right-back into the heart of the defence alongside former youth product Kyle Shaw who was recently promoted to the first team from the NPL squad but the Sky Blues will be hoping to have Grant up to speed soon enough.
Also joining the Sky Blues during the transfer window was former Western Sydney, Newcastle Jets and Wellington Phoenix winger Jaushua Sotirio following a stint in India.
Phoenix finally get their man as creative playmaker signs on
It may have taken them until the closing stages of the transfer window but Wellington Phoenix believe they’ve secured the player who can make the difference for them in the final third.
Signed from Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim, Portuguese creator Francisco ‘Chico’ Geraldes joins on loan until the end of the campaign having most recently been loaned out to Spanish Segunda Division side CD Eldense where he played 3 times.
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“In terms of quality he’s far above and beyond what sort of player I thought we would get in this window,” said Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano.
“Chico is exactly what we need. He’s a creative playmaker. He can play as an eight or a 10, but he’s been most effective in that higher position.
“He’s been training with his last loan club in Spain so he’s still relatively fit and I’m hoping that he can hit the ground running after a week.
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“It’s going to take him time to find his feet, especially as the A-League is a little bit quicker transitionally, but once he comes good I think he’ll be a really, really good player for us.”
After parting ways with club legend David Ball earlier in the window, the ‘Nix were on the look out for a player who they believed could give them some much needed spark in the final third.
Currently sat 10th on the ladder and six points outside the top six, last season’s Semi-Finalists have struggled this season, especially when it comes to final third actions.
Shorn of the likes of Oskar Zawada, Bozhidar Kraev and Ben Old who all left following the 2023-24 Isuzu UTE A-League campaign, the ‘Nix have the second-lowest xG tally (14.6) across the season whilst they’re also averaging the fewest shots on target of any club.
WEEKEND PREVIEW: What you need to know for Round 19 of the Isuzu UTE A-League
However, in 29-year-old Geraldes head coach ‘Chiefy’ Italiano believes he may now have found the player to help feed the evergreen Kosta Barbarouses at the point of the Nix attack.
Coming through the academy of Portuguese giants Sporting CP, Geraldes played 15 games for the senior side before moving to Rio Ave – a club where he really began to make an impact.
Totalling 77 games for the ‘Vilacondenses’, Geraldes scored 5 goals and registered 13 assists before spending time with German side Eintracht Frankfurt as well as spells in Greece, UAE and Malaysia.
Key forward’s return ‘like a new signing’ for Roar
There hasn’t been an awful lot for Brisbane Roar fans to cheer about so far this season but the return of Henry Hore certainly is something to get excited about.
Sent out on loan to K League 1 side Gangwon FC following an impressive season with the Roar last year, the 25-year-old returned to the club last month and has essentially been like a new signing for head coach Ruben Zadkovich.
Already scoring two goals in his first three matches since returning, Hore’s prowess in front of goal has given the Queenslanders hope that a turnaround in form isn’t far away.
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Before their stunning 4-3 win over Sydney FC on January 18, the Roar had gone 12 games without a win to start the season, picking up just two points during that time.
Making matters worse, star attacker Thomas Waddingham was sold to Portsmouth in the English Championship meaning there was now a gaping hole at the top of the attack.
However Hore has slotted seamlessly into the attack since his return and if Zadkovich’s side are to begin climbing back up the ladder then he will be central to their rise.
Signed on a deal until the end of the season, the 27-year-old forward most recently played in Switzerland with Socceroo Awer Mabil at Grasshoppers.
“Asumah is a player with incredible talent, a strong work ethic, and experience at a high level of competition,” said Brisbane Roar COO, Zac Anderson.
“His speed, technical ability, and attacking mindset is an invaluable addition.”
Meanwhile the Isuzu UTE A-League’s bottom club also added talented young attacker Nathan Amanitidis from Sydney FC to further bolster their attack whilst they also added depth to their defence.
A two-time NPL Queensland Player of the Year, Ludwik will compete with the likes of Lucas Herrington, Hosine Bility and Lebanon international Walid Shour for a spot in the roar backline.
Wanderers sign four in bid to secure finals football
Western Sydney head coach Alen Stajcic added for new signings to his squad ahead of the transfer deadline with a large focus seemingly on strengthening their defence.
With off-season loan signing Jeong Tae-wook still battling an ankle issue, Stajcic has been forced to re-shuffle his defensive on numerous occasions this season.
Defender Anthony Pantazopoulos has largely deputised alongside Alex Bonetig in central defence whilst midfielder Josh Brillante has also found himself slotting into that position but Stajcic will be hoping new signing Joshua Laws helps solve that conundrum.
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Formerly of Wellington Phoenix, Laws joins the Wanderers having most recently played for Swiss side Grasshoppers and with 50 A-League appearances under his belt, should be able to hit the ground running when called upon by the Wanderers.
Most recently in the Swedish top flight with Kalmar FF, Gersbach penned a two-and-a-half year deal upon his return to the Isuzu UTE A-League and is expected to challenge incumbent left-back Jack Clisby for a spot in the team once he gets up to full fitness.
In a further addition to the team, former Wanderers academy graduate Jarrod Carluccio returned to the club following a spell with fellow Isuzu UTE A-League side Perth Glory.
Now 24, Carluccio made 12 appearances for Perth Glory this season before making the switch back to Western Sydney, with the move giving Stajcic more depth to his squad given Carluccio’s impressive versatility.
Finally, fellow academy graduate Mohamed Al-Taay also returned to Western Sydney following an 18-month spell with Wellington Phoenix.
The Iraqi international made nine appearances for the Nix this season before returning to his boyhood club and adds some defensive steel and cover to the side following the loss of midfielder Dylan Scicluna to a season-ending ACL injury.
Jets turn to experienced Japanese forward making an instant impact in the A-Leagues
Newcastle Jets had a relatively quiet transfer window but the acquisition of Japan international Kota Mizunuma is already bearing fruit for Rob Stanton’s side.
Capped twice by Japan, Mizunuma arrived in Newcastle having made 395 J1 League appearances with a J1 League and Emperors Cup title to his name. The 34-year-old winger was coached by Ange Postecoglou and Kevin Muscat at Yokohama F. Marinos and was named in the J1 League’s “Best XI” in 2022 on the way to becoming a Japanese top-flight champion under Muscat in 2022.
Mizunuma has played three games for the Jets and has assisted two goals in a bright start to life as a Jet; his first assist at the club came in stoppage time of a dramatic comeback draw against rivals Central Coast, with his delivery for Mark Natta helping Newcastle come from two goals down to take a point on the road. The very next game, Mizunuma teed up Lachlan Rose for Newcastle’s third goal in an impressive 3-0 win over top-six hopefuls Melbourne Victory.
The Jets are 10 points outside of the top six and are unlikely to make the finals unless they turn their current three-game unbeaten streak into an extraordinary run of form to end the season – if they do pull off the miraculous, however, the early signs suggest Mizunuma will play an important role in the revival.
Mizunuma was one of two new players to have arrived at the Jets in the mid-season transfer window, alongside former Macarthur Bulls forward Charles M’Mombwa.
Victory strengthen in key areas but fail to replace Socceroo in final days of the window
Subway Socceroos goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak has settled into the Isuzu UTE A-League superbly since his January return to Melbourne Victory – but has new head coach Arthur Diles done enough in the transfer window to mitigate the loss of right-back Jason Geria?
The Socceroo’s departure to Japanese club Albirex Niigata left a significant void in Victory’s squad and that void was not filled in the mid-season window; Olyroo Josh Rawlins has seen a significant boost in his match minutes since Geria’s exit but beyond the 20-year-old full-back, senior options are few and far between on the right side of defence.
Victory did bring in one defensive recruit, however, in former Brisbane Roar and Newcastle Jets centre-back Lachlan Jackson who joined the club from K-League 1 side Suwon FC.
Jackson joins an experienced Victory centre-back unit featuring captain Roderick Miranda and Brendan Hamill but squad depth remains light in fullback; teenage Western Sydney midfielder Alex Badolato was the club’s third signing of the window, arriving on loan from the Wanderers.
Five clubs elect to stick instead of twist in the transfer window
Not all clubs were busy in the mid-season transfer window, with five clubs bringing one player or less through the doors in January and February.
Adelaide United were surprisingly inactive in the transfer market, making no new signings despite a lack of depth in central defence. Dutch defender Daan Klomp was on trial with the club in January but a move never eventuated for the 26-year-old, leaving head coach Carl Veart with Bart Vriends, Panagiotis Kikianis and Jordan Elsey as his three recognised centre-backs.
With Kikianis currently on Young Socceroos duty at the U20 AFC Asian Cup, veteran midfielder Isaías is filling in at central defence next to Vriends, who missed the start of the season through injury. Elsey’s return from injury, however, has been timely for the Reds as the veteran defender pushes for his first minutes of the season against Newcastle Jets in Round 19.
League leaders Auckland FC made just one move in the transfer window, bringing winger Marlee Francois to the club as a free agent.
Central Coast, meanwhile, signed Abdul Faisal after the teenage forward spent the first half of his debut Isuzu UTE A-League season at Perth Glory; head coach Mark Jackson may be left to rue his decision not to bring a striker in to support Ryan Edmondson and Alou Kuol after the former suffered a shoulder injury in the AFC Asian Champions League Elite in midweek and is expected to miss the remainder of the season.
Melbourne City chose not to make any signings but head coach Aurelio Vidmar will hope the club’s long injury list will decrease in the weeks to come, with Alessandro Lopane, Kai Trewin and Andreas Kuen all close to a return.
Western United, meanwhile, made just one squad addition in the window, with 194cm goalkeeper Alex Naddiep signing a three-and-a-half-year contract – the longest in the team’s history – following Tom Herward-Belle’s move to Japan.
