No 1 priority: Phoenix keeper getting attention from Europe
All Whites goalkeeper Oli Sail is getting closer to a move to Europe, with at least two clubs likely to bid for his services.
Sail told the Herald back in April that he felt ready for the Northern Hemisphere, towards the end of an outstanding A-league campaign with the Wellington Phoenix.
“I feel like I would do well making the step up and I have every intention of pursuing a career in Europe,” he said at the time. “Whether I am ready for that is not for me to decide but I have every intention of testing myself against the best.”
That dream could be about to become reality.
The Herald understands that scouts from two clubs attended the All Whites’ recent blockbuster match against Peru in Barcelona.
Although Sail made an unfortunate error to gift the South Americans their goal in the 1-0 defeat, his performance was otherwise solid and did nothing to deter his wouldbe suitors, who have been tracking him for some time.
If the transfer happens, it’s likely to put Sail into another stratosphere.
It’s believed one of the clubs is from Europe’s top five leagues (English Premier League, La Liga, Ligue 1, Serie A and Bundesliga). The other one sits outside that tier, but is a large club with plenty of history, according to one source.
Sail is contracted to the Phoenix until the end of next season. If he leaves now, or in the January window, the Phoenix could pocket a significant transfer fee, as they did with the departures of Sarpreet Singh and Liberato Cacace.
Otherwise the 26-year-old could leave at the end of the season on a free transfer, though it is unlikely the club would block any move, given his loyalty over the years.
The prospective move would complete a brilliant 18 months for the keeper.
Sail unseated Stefan Marinovic at the Phoenix last February and was the unquestioned first choice by the start of last season.
He made his All Whites debut in March at the Oceania World Cup qualifying tournament, then got the nod for Peru encounter, before featuring between the sticks in the intercontinental playoff against
Costa Rica on Wednesday.
Sail has seemingly edged ahead of Marinovic in the national framework, while he has also gone past Michael Woud, who featured in the recent games against Bahrain and Jordan.
Sail’s prospective move to Europe could come at just the right time.
The longevity of keepers mean that he has plenty of years ahead of him, while his tough road to professional football (he made just eight A-league appearances in his first six Phoenix seasons) has developed a maturity and resilience that is essential for the challenges to come.
If Sail does leave the capital, the Phoenix will need to replace him. Alex Paulsen proved his worth last season but probably isn’t ready to be a full-time number one.— NZ Herald