Football: Wellington Phoenix set to lose Matt Ridenton

Matthew Ridenton in action for the Wellington Phoenix. Photo / Photosport

The Wellington Phoenix look likely to lose one of their best young players.

Midfielder Matt Ridenton, who was one of their standouts during their recent A-League campaign, is almost certain to move across the Tasman.

Ridenton is likely to end up at the Newcastle Jets — under former Phoenix coach Ernie Merrick — although there has been interest from other Australian clubs.

He has talked openly about his desire to stay in Wellington, where he has progressed through the grades, but in the end the ongoing uncertainty at the capital franchise may be the key factor.

His departure, if confirmed, will be a big blow for the Wellington A-League franchise.

Ridenton is the kind of player that you can build a franchise around, and at only 22, has a huge future.

He was one of the bright spots of a dismal 2017-18 season. Ridenton played 26 games, more than any other player, only missing the round 24 match with the Brisbane Roar when he was on All Whites duty. He became one of the first men picked every week, by both former coach Darije Kalezic and caretaker Chris Greenacre.

Ridenton is a traditional box-to-box midfielder, and while often used as a defensive anchor, also has an eye for a pass in the attacking third.

He made his Phoenix debut as an 18-year-old against Perth in December 2013. He was an intermittent member of the team after that, with spells of first team action followed by a stint in the reserves.

But at the start of last year he began to come into his own, and carried that form into the most recent season, where he managed more minutes than in the previous four seasons combined.

Ridenton, who is the son of former All White Michael, made his international debut under Neil Emblen against South Africa at Mt Smart in 2014. He won another cap at the 2016 OFC Nations cup in Papua New Guinea, and got some time off the bench against Mexico in Nashville in 2016. Ridenton was also part of coach Fritz Schmid's first squad, for the match with Canada in Spain.

Ridenton is one of a dozen players off contract at the Phoenix, most of whom may not know their futures until the coaching situation at the club is resolved. Fellow All White Michael McGlinchey confirmed his departure last week, while fullback Tom Doyle is another yet to ink a new deal.