Who was the signing of the season in the Isuzu UTE A-League?
As clubs around the competition begin to shape their squads for the season ahead, they’ll be hoping their newcomers for 2025-26 have as much of an impact as the best new arrivals of the campaign just gone.
Unstoppable Strikes! 
The Best Goals From the Isuzu A-League 2024-25
10. Asumah Abubakar: Brisbane Roar
Asumah Abubakar played just 11 games in the Isuzu UTE A-League 2024-25 season but his immediate impact at Brisbane Roar following his February arrival made the Portugal youth international one of the most influential signings of the season.
Abubakar arrived in Queensland from Swiss Super League side Grasshopper Club Zurich in the mid-season transfer window and debuted for the Roar in Round 20; it took four games for the Ghanaian-born forward to get on the scoresheet but his first Roar goal against Perth Glory got the ball rolling for the exciting attacker who ended the season with four goals and two assists from his 11 appearances.
It wasn’t just Abubakar’s end product that impacted Brisbane’s fortunes. His dribbling and hold-up play led to a greater connection between the Roar’s midfield and attack as Brisbane picked up 15 of its 21 points for the season with Abubakar in the side, to avoid the wooden spoon.
Brazilian superstar Douglas Costa arrived at Sydney FC to much fanfare in the off-season; in recruiting the former Bayern Munich and Juventus winger, the Sky Blues had landed a player renowned around the world heading towards the back end of a glittering career highlighted by three Serie A titles, three Bundesliga titles and 31 caps for Brazil.
Sydney FC’s 2024-25 campaign ultimately ended in disappointment but Costa provided plenty of bright sparks for Sky Blues supporters, and neutral fans around the league, to admire throughout his 16 league appearances.
Costa notched four goals and five assists in 2024-25, and will be back for more in Sky Blue next season, having signed a two-year deal with the club.
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It was a breakout campaign for Kai Trewin in 2024-25 after an off-season transfer from Brisbane Roar to Melbourne City.
After a five-season stint at the Roar, Trewin joined City in May, 2024 and instantly signalled his intent to follow the lead of several City products in recent years and receive a Socceroos call-up.
At the time, Trewin said: “Seeing so many young players come to City, develop their game, and go on to make moves overseas and represent the Socceroos was a big reason why I wanted to sign with the club.”
His debut season at City couldn’t have gone much better. Trewin made 27 appearances for City and received more match minutes (2,344) than ever before in a single season, and became a key contributor as his new club soared to a second-place finish and the Isuzu UTE A-League Championship.
Trewin received his first Socceroos call-up in March, and although he is yet to make his senior international debut, has featured in the matchday squad for each of Australia’s last four games on the World Cup qualification trail.
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7. Dan Hall: Auckland FC
Isuzu UTE A-League newcomers Auckland FC made a transfer splash ahead of their first-ever season in the competition with the acquisition of two-time Champion Dan Hall from Central Coast Mariners.
Hall made an instant impact at the Black Knights, forming a formidable central defensive partnership with Nando Pijnaker as Auckland won seven-straight games to begin the season with Hall in the side.
A broken ankle suffered in December sidelined Hall for three months but he returned with a vengeance in March; the 26-year-old made nine further appearances for Auckland and lost just two games as Auckland sailed to the Premiership title, but fell just short of the Grand Final after a two-legged Semi-Final defeat to Melbourne Victory.
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6. Eli Adams: Newcastle Jets
After just 23 games in four seasons split across Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory, Eli Adams joined Newcastle Jets for 2024-25 and quickly became one of the most exciting attacking midfielders in the competition.
He made 24 appearances in his first season for the Jets, and bagged an assist to go with nine goals including several stunning strikes.
Adams’ magnificent solo goal against Newcastle Jets won Goal of the Month honours in March; he scored two goals in three separate games throughout the campaign in a blistering start to life at his new club.
Eli Adams | Isuzu UTE Goal of the Month | March | 2024-25
5. Guillermo May: Auckland FC
Uruguayan forward Guillermo May enjoyed a stellar debut season in the Isuzu UTE A-League with a nine-goal haul from 28 appearances.
May was named Auckland FC’s Most Valuable Player at the club’s end-of-season awards night and scooped the club’s Golden Boot award in a testament to the 27-year-old’s impact at the club.
4. Marin Jakolis: Macarthur Bulls
Marin Jakolis joined Macarthur after one season at Melbourne City and was a dominant force in attack for the Bulls.
Jakolis bagged just two goals for City in 2023-24 but enjoyed a remarkable uptick in scoring form through his debut Macarthur campaign; adding 12 assists to his 10 goals in black and white, Jakolis became just the fourth player in the history of the Isuzu UTE A-League to reach double digits for goals and assists in a single season.
Jakolis follows in the footsteps of Adelaide United great Craig Goodwin (15 goals, 10 assists – 2022-23), former Melbourne Victory winger Marco Rojas (12 goals, 11 assists – 2016-17) and ex-Melbourne City star Aaron Mooy (11 goals, 20 assists – 2015-16).
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3. Alex Paulsen: Auckland FC
Alex Paulsen departed Wellington Phoenix for Premier League club AFC Bournemouth in 2024 but was loaned back to the Isuzu UTE A-League for the 2024-25 campaign – not with the Phoenix, but with their new rivals Auckland FC.
Already regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the competition, Paulsen took his game to a new level at the Black Knights and ended his loan spell at the club with the Isuzu UTE A-League’s Goalkeeper of the Year award, after keeping 13 clean sheets in Auckland’s Premiership-winning season.
2. Francis De Vries: Auckland FC
It should come as no surprise to see a fifth Auckland FC recruit in the list of top 10 signings of the season after the club’s remarkable debut season in the Isuzu UTE A-League and, despite ample competition from his Black Knights teammates, full-back Francis De Vries ranks highest on the list among Auckland’s list of stars for his impact on the left side of defence.
Signed out of nowhere from semi-professional New Zealand club side Eastern Suburbs AFC, De Vries quickly became an assist machine for the Black Knights, with his eight assists the most of any player at the club, while his set-piece delivery from free kicks and corners became a lethal weapon for Steve Corica’s side.
De Vries earned a recall to the New Zealand international squad off the back of his Auckland form and is now well placed to push for a place in the All Whites’ squad for the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup.
1. Archie Goodwin: Adelaide United
Archie Goodwin’s first season at Adelaide United ended with the 20-year-old’s name on the Isuzu UTE A-League Golden Boot trophy, as the youngest-ever recipient of the prestigious award.
A player struck by repeat injuries through his early seasons in the competition at Newcastle Jets, Goodwin was consistently available for the Reds through the 2024-25 campaign and made 19 starts from 26 games; his 1,578 match minutes eclipsed his total of 1,113 minutes at the Jets over his first four seasons in the league.
A young player whose quality has been evident since his very first season in Newcastle, Goodwin broke through to become the league’s equal-leading top scorer in 2024-25 alongside fellow A-Leagues young gun Adrian Segecic, who shared the Golden Boot award with Goodwin on 13 goals.
The future is bright for Goodwin who, following the return to Adelaide of his namesake and club legend Craig Goodwin, will be licking his lips at the prospect of feeding off the Socceroo’s silver service in 2025-26.
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