The Wellington Phoenix have signed 23-year-old English-Nigerian goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi.
Oluwayemi, who previously played for the Finnish club FC Lahti, will be joining the A-League for the next season.
Having come through Tottenham Hotspur’s youth system and played for their under-18 and under-23 sides. Oluwayemi left in 2022 to pursue first-team football opportunities.
He has represented England at under-15 level and was also called up to Nigeria’s national team as a 20-year-old in 2021.
Head coach Giancarlo Italiano is excited to have secured Oluwayemi’s services, stating that his experience and attributes will be valuable for the team. Oluwayemi himself expressed his excitement upon learning about the Phoenix’s interest in him.
Describing himself as an agile and “very explosive” goalkeeper, Oluwayemi has honed his ability to play out from the back during his time at FC Lahti, and he aims to continue showcasing his skills in that sweeper ‘keeper role.
Oluwayemi is the 19th player confirmed in the Phoenix men’s first-team squad. The new season set to kick off in nine weeks. He will join the team once he obtains his New Zealand work visa.
In other news, Auckland FC announced the signing of Alex Paulsen. The A-League rules prohibiting the former Phoenix goalkeeper from joining another team.
The announcement came after the league revealed the ‘Caceres Rule’ regarding player movement, prompting Auckland FC to tout their star signing on social media.
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