Wellington Phoenix will be without three stars next season after the club confirmed Oli Sail, Clayton Lewis and Steven Ugarkovic will seek new opportunities in 2023-24.
Vice-captain and first-choice goalkeeper Sail, and midfielders Lewis and Ugarkovic are off contract and informed the Isuzu UTE A-League outfit they will not be re-signing.
It is a blow for Ufuk Talay’s Wellington, who are continuing to fight for finals football. The ‘Nix are fifth in the standings and only three points off second place.
But Talay is no stranger to building new squads in Wellington, having lost Jaushua Sotirio, Reno Piscopo, Gary Hooper, Gael Sandoval at the start of 2022-23, and replaced them with Oskar Zawada, Bozhidar Kraev, Yan Sasse, Ugarkovic and Kosta Barbarouses.
“They are key members of our squad and have all contributed to where the team is now; in finals contention with eight rounds to play,” said director of football Shaun Gill.
“Oli, Clay and Stevie will be hard to replace next season, but they’re great professionals and I know they’re committed to helping lead the Wellington Phoenix to this year’s A-League finals.
“Negotiations continue with other off-contract players and fans can rest assured that the core of the men’s squad will be sticking around for the 2023-24 A-League season and beyond.”
Sail has called the club home since 2014, though the New Zealand international made his debut in 2018. He has gone on to play 70 A-League Men matches.
Fellow New Zealand international and midfielder Lewis – who is recovering from a fractured kneecap – has established himself in Wellington’s line-up following his arrival in 2020.
Ugarkovic arrived from Western Sydney Wanderers ahead of the season and he has featured in all 18 of the Phoenix’s league matches this term.
