Kiwis 2025 mid year transfer window

newzealandpower

Kirwan to Trento rumour coming out of Italy today. Trento play in Serie C (same group that Padova won last season) and finished joint 6th last year.
Not the most exciting of transfer rumour, but it's a decent level and close to the family home (his mum if from Treviso which is less than two hours away). Shame he won't be in Serie B after playing an important part in last season's promotion, but that's the reality of football.

Ends up down the other end of the country having signed with FC Trapani 1905. Serie C, Girone C.

Located on what I imagine is the very picturesque North-Western tip of the island of Sicily. Or as I refer to it - The football island that is being kicked by the Italian boot.

Screenshot_2025-07-03-22-59-52-42_1c337646f29875672b5a61192b9010f9.jpg 718.51 KB

Worse places to live looking at some photos.
https://www.italyguides.it/en/sicily/trapani/pictures-of-trapani

A few years I loved watching the Italian series Inspector Montalbano, which was set in a fictional Sicilian coastal city. Tussling with the Mafia, and other crims the bald headed rugged inspector had a beautiful beachside home, and quite the ladies man. And yeah the series sure made Sicily look pretty. 

https://www.thethinkingtraveller.com/blog/sicily-locations-of-the-montalbano-tv-series

Hope Kirwan goes well, but at 30 in September his AWs days might be over. From afar doesn't seem to have been the same player post his ACL a few years ago.

Trapani were 11th of 20 terams in their Serie C Girone (South) last season. So at face value don't seem a team destined for Serie B promotion.

Other deals done overnight.
Matt Dibley-Dias confirmed loan deal for 25/26 with Chesterfield FC.

Josh Redfearn links up with Maidstone United in the National League South.

Did not see Niko going to Trapani! Quite far from the family home but probably just a regional flight and a short drive. Italy is not that much bigger than NZ, and has a lot more regional flights.
Nice spot to live in, great food and weather...and he'll be playing against new teams as he's changed his Group (now in Group C - or South).

Tyler Bindon: Loan move to Sheffield United, reunited with Reading coach, Sheff just missed out on Premier League promotion. Appears the other centre backs are the captain, and the most valuable player, but a manager that trusts him.

Max Crocomber to Millwall in Championship, big battle for number one jersey, could it open the door for Paulsen if he gets a loan move and plays?

Ben Waine to Port Vale in League 1, hopefully gets a good run there.

Matt Dibley-Dias: Loan move to Chesterfield in League 2. Fulham contract to 2027, but has been involved in Fulham preseason in the past. Feels like an important chance to make it in men's football. If he hits the ground running, could he enter the frame of national team or too late for a world cup run?

I think a standout season in L1 could put you right in contention for an AWs. Not sure about L2 though of course in Waine's case he might get in given the fact that we don't really have a Wood replacement.. 

Just been thinking about this.

If Colloty (striker) has a good goalscoring season in Scottish L1, building on his promising season in Scottish L2, would that be enough to put him in contention for the WC squad/his first time ever in an AWs squad?

HattyCW

Just been thinking about this.

If Colloty (striker) has a good goalscoring season in Scottish L1, building on his promising season in Scottish L2, would that be enough to put him in contention for the WC squad/his first time ever in an AWs squad?

No.

Not being mean when I say that either, but he'd need to be banging them in at Scottish Championship (absolute bare minimum) to even be involved in any national team conversation.

If he can build on last season and do well over there then there is no reason why he couldn't theoretically move up the tiers like one George Stanger has done over the past 2-3 years (and Colloty is a couple of years younger too which will help). 

But for now. No.

From memory Colloty struggled to do much at Auckland United. He was mostly a bench player in the Scottish 4th tier, admittedly coming late into a winning team. He’s miles off the AWs. 

coochiee

From memory Colloty struggled to do much at Auckland United. He was mostly a bench player in the Scottish 4th tier, admittedly coming late into a winning team. He’s miles off the AWs. 

He did well to score a hat-trick in what I believe was just his third start for Peterhead, though he got a little lucky with the first choice striker being sent off in the previous match.

Riley Bidois and Oscar Faulds would be closer than Colloty I reckon, and they’re both still miles off an AWs squad.

Friar Tuck

Riley Bidois and Oscar Faulds would be closer than Colloty I reckon, and they’re both still miles off an AWs squad.

Be interesting to see what happens next with Faulds, he's not staying in Luxembourg is he? 

HattyCW

coochiee

From memory Colloty struggled to do much at Auckland United. He was mostly a bench player in the Scottish 4th tier, admittedly coming late into a winning team. He’s miles off the AWs. 

He did well to score a hat-trick in what I believe was just his third start for Peterhead, though he got a little lucky with the first choice striker being sent off in the previous match.

Yipe 3 goals against the bottom team in the 4th tier of Scottish football. Colloty has a UK passport that would have helped him score him this gig in Britain.

I hope he does well there, but there are better younger prospects on the domestic NZ scene. Luke Supyk. Jonty Bidois.

I suspect Supyk and Keegan Kelly will impress more for this year's U20s than Colloty & Donkers in 2023. Donkers's Dutch heritage helped him get that youth contract in the Netherlands. Guys with the right passport definitely have an advantage looking to get to Europe.

At the end of the day Waine & Mata are still young. Wood wants to play on to the 2030 WC. Only Barba of the current AWs strikers won't be around post next year's WC. Going forward you will likely need to be scoring fairly regularly at levels like ALM & League One minimium, to crack a full strength national team squad.


Edit - forgot about 21 yr old Ben Gibson who got 4 goals in 12 ALM games for the Jets last season. And as mentioned in another thread 24 yr old Ryan Feutz has a trial coming up with the Jets. 

When was the last time we had Kiwis from Tier 1 to Tier 6 in the English pyramid?

Semantics but this season there maybe no one in National League (5th tier). Searle has dropped down and Gray we don’t yet know what Ipswich have planned. Though Matt Gould may still be playing in the NL?

To answer your question likely never before. Though Nelsen, Elliott, Falloon, Smeltz, Bertos, Killeen, Paston, Mulligan may all have been in the UK pyramid at the same time if briefly

coochiee

Semantics but this season their maybe no one in National League (5th tier). Searle has dropped down and Gray we don’t yet know what Ipswich have planned. Though Matt Gould may still be playing in the NL?

To answer your question likely never before. Though Nelsen, Elliott, Falloon, Smeltz, Bertos, Killeen, Paston, Mulligan may all have in the UK pyramid at the same time if briefly

Gould is still at Yeovil town as far as I can tell. Think he also doubles as the goalkeeping coach at the club, so we'll claim that won't we?

Have decided Sheffield United supporters are the scum of the earth and that was a sharke club for Bindon to sign for. 

AucklandPhoenix

Have decided Sheffield United supporters are the scum of the earth and that was a sharke club for Bindon to sign for. 

In regards to the fans, most in the UK are absolute helmets to be fair. Footballing wise it's a fantastic loan for him. Presuming he's a starter, he's got Ahmedhozic next to him and Michael Cooper behind him in goal, two outstanding players at Championship level. 

At times for Reading it looked like he was doing everything - he shouldn't need to at the Blades, and it might ease him into the step up in quality better than if he was on loan at a weaker side.

YoungHeartHM

coochiee

Semantics but this season their maybe no one in National League (5th tier). Searle has dropped down and Gray we don’t yet know what Ipswich have planned. Though Matt Gould may still be playing in the NL?

To answer your question likely never before. Though Nelsen, Elliott, Falloon, Smeltz, Bertos, Killeen, Paston, Mulligan may all have in the UK pyramid at the same time if briefly

Gould is still at Yeovil town as far as I can tell. Think he also doubles as the goalkeeping coach at the club, so we'll claim that won't we?

Had a search. He's 1 year into a 2 year deal at Yeovil, expiring 30th June next year.

Didn't play one NAL game for them last season, so it seems he is very much a coach first, backup GK second these days.

Wrexham are reportedly interested in signing Libby! Could be a good move both from a football and a media perspective...

newzealandpower

Wrexham are reportedly interested in signing Libby! Could be a good move both from a football and a media perspective...

La Bella Italia to franchise into North Wales!

It's been a really good transfer window for NZers so far - just waiting on Cacace to secure a Serie A gig, Garbett to pull his head of his arse and secure a deal, and Stamenic to get a loan to a Championship (?) side. Oh, and Paulsen....loan to a L1 team?

Paulsen has been A League keeper of the year, 2 years in a row, so has proven he's better and more consistent of a player than getting a league 1 deal. 

MetalLegNZ

Paulsen has been A League keeper of the year, 2 years in a row, so has proven he's better and more consistent of a player than getting a league 1 deal. 

A better promotion chasing L1 team would be fine as a first Euro season. Joe Gauci who arguably left the ALM a better keeper than AP is at Barnsley on loan from Villa

What we want is AP straight away starting. Not riding the pine for a season as can easily happen with a young GK. 

Also I hope Bell and McCowatt can end up in the Championship. Then it would be a truly excellent window. But those two might need to wait until 2026 for a move. Bell in particular is going to have some suitors chasing him

coochiee

MetalLegNZ

Paulsen has been A League keeper of the year, 2 years in a row, so has proven he's better and more consistent of a player than getting a league 1 deal. 

A better promotion chasing L1 team would be fine as a first Euro season. Joe Gauci who arguably left the ALM a better keeper than AP is at Barnsley on loan from Villa

What we want is AP straight away starting. Not riding the pine for a season as can easily happen with a young GK. 

Also I hope Bell and McCowatt can end up in the Championship. Then it would be a truly excellent window. But those two might need to wait until 2026 for a move. Bell in particular is going to have some suitors chasing him

Paulsen's definitely better than Gauci ever has been, imo. He should have been in League One as a minimum last year

mrsmiis

coochiee

MetalLegNZ

Paulsen has been A League keeper of the year, 2 years in a row, so has proven he's better and more consistent of a player than getting a league 1 deal. 

A better promotion chasing L1 team would be fine as a first Euro season. Joe Gauci who arguably left the ALM a better keeper than AP is at Barnsley on loan from Villa

What we want is AP straight away starting. Not riding the pine for a season as can easily happen with a young GK. 

Also I hope Bell and McCowatt can end up in the Championship. Then it would be a truly excellent window. But those two might need to wait until 2026 for a move. Bell in particular is going to have some suitors chasing him

Paulsen's definitely better than Gauci ever has been, imo. He should have been in League One as a minimum last year

Agree. There's honestly some pretty bang average keepers who are starters in League One. Hell, even in the championship last season there were some absolute shi.tters, I'd know because two of them played for my team. I reckon Paulsen could absolutely do a job in the second tier already.

As a WBA fan, Paulsen is easily better than Joe Wildsmith and would be close to Josh Griffiths.

Wildsmith is an average Championship keeper and Griffiths is very solid for a younger keeper.

WBA should be in and around the playoffs, so there’s no reason Paulsen couldn’t be a starter for a mid table team.

I could be wrong but what an exciting transfer window! Not just for transfers but for trials too. I know its early days and trials are not much to go off, but jeeze it has been exciting waking up most mornings and see kiwis doing well all over the world especially with the world cup around the corner.

Trials

coochiee

Trials

My dyslexia kicking in, lol

So has anyone got any possible news on where:

1: Alex P will likely be playing this year?

2: Matthew Garbett?

Regarding Libby, Empoli started pre-season but Libby was given extra leave...apparently he's expected to report to the Empoli HQ soon though to meet with them, hopefully with a view to make a decision. 
The Lecce interest is concrete, though they are insisting on a loan with an option to buy. I thought Empoli wanted to sell him outright...

Regarding his possible Serie A destinations, Lecce have appointed Eusebio Di Francesco. His teams can play very good football, but he's never achieved much (even coaching Roma) and comes from back to back relegations (with two different teams)...

Cagliari have a brand new coach, Pisacane, untested at this level as he's been promoted from the Youth team. 

Davide Nicola, who coached Libby two seasons ago, left Cagliari after keeping them up and coaching for a single season. He's now with Cremonese, a newly promoted side that was last in Serie A in 22-23. We know Nicola can get a lot out of Libby, but I still rate his team as being more likely to be relegated (of the 3 mentioned in this post).

Neither club really excites me to be honest. Whenever he goes, Libby will likely be fighting to avoid relegation once again. But hopefully he can land in a team that helps him showcase his attacking skills and secure a move to a mid-table (or higher) side.

Well, for all that Serie A talk, Stuff are reporting the deal with Wrexham is all but done...
I personally would have preferred for him to stay in Italy, selfishly speaking. But the Serie A in many regards is where dreams go to die. Too results focused, too tactical, too defensively minded - especially for the teams that he was being linked with.
The Championship is a great league, he puts himself in a great shop window and has the opportunity to be part of history, if they can get promoted straight away once again.
I personally don't think it will happen this time, but from what I've seen of Wrexham, he'll be well looked after and be a part of a well resourced team. It would be a sweet move

Ok, that should now be all the moves that the likely kiwis will make.

Verdict - poor, middling or good transfers?

I’ll kick it off - Marko from Forest to Swansea - good.

Pre good tbf - besides the Paulsen to Poland one which is very bad. 

Stamenic, Bindon, Cacace, Just all with strong moves. 

Garbett and Singh with disappointing moves imo. Garbett might seem harsh but playing on a poor side isn’t gonna help his case leading into a World Cup year despite how many minutes he will rack him. 

Let’s await the Ben Old news.