A-League: Off-season transfers

The 2023/24 A-League season is still some way off but there is no shortage of action away from the pitch as teams start to build their squads for the new campaign.

There has already been plenty of transfer activity with some interesting deals taking place and Melbourne City have been busy with a host of new arrivals.

However two big names have also left City to head to Europe and moves have already been made to replace them.

Let’s take a look at the latest transfer activity in the A-League.

Tilio leaves Melbourne City

Melbourne City suffered grand final heartbreak when losing to the Central Coast Mariners and they will be without a couple of big names as they look to bounce back in 2023/24.

The biggest one being Socceroos starlet Marco Tilio who has joined Scottish giants Celtic on a bumper five-year deal.

The 21-year-old has been one of the hottest prospects in the A-League for some time and now gets his big move to Europe.

City will have done very nicely from the deal and now they will set about finding the forward’s replacement.

Meanwhile goalkeeper Tom Glover has also left City to join an as yet unnamed European club, and they have wasted no time in replacing him.

Veteran goalkeeper Jamie Young, who won the grand final with Western United in 2021/22, is the man that has been brought in to fill the void.

It is not the only new arrival at City, who have been very busy indeed.

Tolgay Arslan has arrived from Serie A outfit Udinese, while they have also stayed closer to home with the captures of Alessandro Lopane from Western Sydney Wanderers, Patrick Beach from Central Coast Mariners, Zane Schreiber from Sydney FC and Steven Ugarkovic from Wellington Phoenix.

They have also thrown a lifeline to former Socceroos star Terry Antonis who was on the books of Western Sydney Wanderers last season.

There is likely to be more to follow as they make sweeping changes following the 6-1 grand final defeat. City are still the hot fancies to win the 2023/24 A-League grand final, and are priced at 3.80 to go all the way.

Roar make triple swoop

Brisbane Roar have also been very active so far when bringing in three new signings.

Roar finished eighth on the ladder last season and will be hoping to bridge the gap and make the top six in the new season.

They have brought in Matt Acton from Melbourne Victory to help them, while Alex Parsons also arrives from Sydney FC. Corey Brown, who was without a club, is also on board.

Brisbane are priced at 21.00 to pull off a huge surprise and win the grand final.

Wanderers strengthen

Western Sydney Wanderers returned to finals last season and will look to kick on and push for the premiership in 2023/24.

They are priced at 7.00 to go all the way and win the grand final.

Dylan Pierias has joined the Wanderers from Western United, while another experienced A-League performer Jack Clisby arrives from Perth Glory.

Wanderers have also boosted their fire power with the capture of the Swedish striker Marcus Antonsson.

There have also been departures from Western Sydney with Kusini Yengi among them when heading to English League One side Portsmouth.

Daniel Wilmering has joined A-League rivals Newcastle, while Jack Warshawsky has moved to Central Coast Mariners.