Former Wellington Phoenix man excited to return 

The Wellington Phoenix have secured a significant signing for the 2024/25 A-League men’s season, bringing back All Whites winger Marco Rojas.

Rojas, 32, will return to his former club on a one-year deal, having started his professional career in Wellington. He made his debut with the Phoenix in 2009, tallying 20 appearances before moving to Melbourne Victory, where he earned the Johnny Warren Medal in 2013 for his standout performance.

“I’m really excited because of the amount of talent Marco has,” said Phoenix head coach Giancarlo Italiano. “My goal is to get him close to his 2016-17 A-League season form, which I believe was his best. We’re the right club for him to thrive. We’re going to give him the freedom to play and express himself.

“If we can get a fit Marco firing, he’s going to help the team’s progression in the way we play, and I think we can definitely be better stylistically than we were last season.”

Internationally, Rojas has made 45 appearances for the All Whites, scoring five goals. Following his three seasons in Melbourne, Rojas transferred to Germany with Bundesliga side Stuttgart but had a challenging stint before returning to Victory. He then moved to the Netherlands with Heerenveen in 2017, followed by transfers to Danish side SønderjyskE Fodbold, another spell with Melbourne Victory, and Colo-Colo in Chile. Rojas spent the first half of 2024 with Brisbane Roar, where he scored two goals in five games.

Rojas’ return is a significant boost for the Phoenix’s roster, especially following the departures of Alex Paulsen to English Premier League side Bournemouth and Ben Old to French Ligue 1 club Saint-Étienne.

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