Josh Oluwayemi. Photo: Getty
The Wellington Phoenix have a new goalkeeper to replace Alex Paulsen for the next A-League season.
The Phoenix have signed 23-year-old English-Nigerian keeper Josh Oluwayemi from Finnish club FC Lahti.
Oluwayemi came through the youth system at Tottenham Hotspur and played for their under-18 and under-23 sides before leaving the Premier League club in 2022 in search of first team football.
He represented England at under-15 level and was called up to Nigeria's national team as a 20-year-old in 2021.
Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano is thrilled to have secured a 'keeper with Oluwayemi's experience and attributes.
"Josh has a fantastic presence. He's got a good command of his box, communicates well and is very good with his feet," Italiano said.
"Being able to play out from the back was a big factor when we looked at goalkeepers. Stylistically I'm not going to change as a coach and it's very important we keep building on what we did last season.
"I think Josh will add to the way we want to play. His presence in the box is going to be very valuable."
Josh Oluwayemi was "buzzing" when he heard the Phoenix were interested in him.
"Ruben (Parker) sent me clips of the way the Phoenix played last season and it was very, very exciting," Oluwayemi said.
"It seemed like all of the players were in tune with how they play.
"Seeing their game style and the quality is what really compelled me to come over to play on the other side of the world.
"The A-League is a brilliant league and Wellington's a brilliant team that did very well last season.
"I'm chuffed to be joining a bunch of lads that have quality and a team that have done so well."
He describes himself as an agile and "very explosive" goalkeeper who refined his ability to play out from the back while he was at FC Lahti.
"Before the move to Finland I had other options within the U.K., but I wanted to challenge myself and show another side of my football that I think I possess.
"I want to continue to show other people and myself the level I can get to whilst playing that style in terms of playing out from the back, that sweeper 'keeper role.
"In terms of my impact on the team I'd hope to have a very strong impact; be a livewire for my teammates and improve upon last season.
"I'm excited to get to work, play my heart out for the fans, and show what I'm about."
Josh Oluwayemi is the 19th player confirmed in the Phoenix men's first team squad nine weeks out from the start of the new season.
Oluwayemi will join the Nix once he obtains his New Zealand work visa.
Auckland FC last week have announced the addition of Paulsen, despite A-League rules currently prohibiting the All Whites and former Phoenix goalkeeper from doing so.
The new club has touted their star signing on social media this morning, after the league announced the 'Caceres Rule' regarding player movement.
The rule was brought in 2016 to prevent overseas clubs buying players and loaning them to sister clubs, after Manchester City signed Anthony Caceres with no intention of actually playing him. Cacares was then immediately loaned to Melbourne City, which is owned by the same City Football Group as Manchester City.
AFC Bournemouth and Auckland FC are both owned by Bill Foley, the billionaire American whose other sporting holdings include French Ligue 1 club FC Lorient and the Las Vegas Golden Knights NHL franchise.
