Star striker Kosta Barbarouses to leave Wellington Phoenix
Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Star striker Kosta Barbarouses quits Wellington Phoenix.
Barbarouses was the Phoenix’s highest scorer this season.
The Phoenix have 18 players signed on for next season.
Wellington Phoenix have been rocked by the departure of star striker Kosta Barbarouses.
The club’s best player and top goal-scorer for the past two A-League Men seasons has informed the Phoenix that he will not be returning next season.
It’s a damning indictment on the Phoenix as Barbarouses clearly believes he would be putting his World Cup spot at risk if he remained in Wellington.
Despite scoring 10 goals in 26 A-League appearances, Barbarouses was starved ofservice in a team that sorely missed a creative midfielder while Marco Rojas and Chico Geraldes were injured.
He contributed 37% of the Phoenix’s overall goal tally.
The 35-year-old New Zealand international was coming off contract but had triggered an option in his previous one-year deal to re-sign on similar terms if he wished.
Barbarouses made his 350th overall A-League appearance in the Phoenix’s final- round defeat to wooden spooners Perth Glory.
He signed off his third, and likely last, stint with the Phoenix by scoring the winning goal in their Australia Cup playoff against Brisbane Roar in the low-key setting of Darwin.
“The three years I’ve spent with the Phoenix in my hometown have been very special to me,” Barbarouses said in a statement.
“I’m grateful to the fans, the squad and many of the staff members for everything.
“The decision to leave has been a very difficult one to make and I wish the Phoenix all the best in the future.”
The loss of their main goal threat is a devastating blow for the Phoenix after enduring one of their worst-ever A-League campaigns.
The four-time A-League champion was voted the Phoenix’s best player for the past two seasons after scoring double figures in back-to-back campaigns.
Barbarouses was a key contributor during their second-place finish last season, scoring 13 goals in 28 appearances.
He was expected to finish his career in Wellington when he returned home in 2022-23 but will leave without ever tasting success with his hometown club.
Phoenix director of football Shaun Gill was convinced the club did all it could to keep hold of Barbarouses but acknowledged the departure of their highest-paid player would free up a lot of space in the salary cap.
They have already made an attempt to bring All Whites striker Ben Waine back to the club following his recent release from Plymouth Argyle, though Waine is determined to stay in Europe at this stage of his career.
Barbarouses is the third starting player to exit the Phoenix in the wake of their 11th place finish, following Perth Glory-bound defenders Sam Sutton and Scott Wootton out the door.
He is also expected to remain in the A-League. Western Sydney Wanderers are believed to be leading the race for his signature, viewing Barbarouses as a potential replacement for star forward Nicolas Milanovic.
The Wanderers boasted the best attack this season, netting 58 goals.
“Kosta has had two of the best seasons of his career at the Phoenix and we believed he was in the best place to secure selection in the All Whites’ World Cup squad,” Gill said.
“In recognition of his performances over the past two seasons we tabled what we believed was a very competitive contract offer.
“We’re disappointed he’s turned down our contract extension, but we respect his decision and thank him for all of his contributions to the club.”
The Phoenix have 18 players signed on for next season. Barbarouses’s departure has left them with four major holes to fill over the coming months, needing a new striker, creative midfielder, left back and centre back. They currently have two import spots up their sleeve.
Gill said the Phoenix would not be rushed to make new signings before their pre-season friendly against Wrexham AFC on July 19.