Alex Paulsen’s controversial return to A-League yet to be ratified by Football Australia

The rivalry between New Zealand’s two A-League clubs has been further intensified by a controversial loan move that is yet to gain the approval of Football Australia.

Football Australia will have to either scrap or revamp its “Caceres Clause” for star goalkeeper Alex Paulsen to play for new A-League outfit Auckland FC in the upcoming season.

Sold by Wellington Phoenix in June to English Premier League club Bournemouth for an upfront fee of $1.5 million plus significant future add-ons, 22-year-old Paulsen has joined Auckland on loan for the 2024-25 A-League season.

It’s a move shrouded in controversy as American billionaire Bill Foley owns both the Bournemouth and Auckland clubs.

Such loan moves between sister clubs were banned by FA in 2016 after midfielder Anthony Caceres was sold by Central Coast Mariners to Manchester City only for the EPL giants to immediately loan him to fellow City Football Group club Melbourne City.

The “Caceres Clause” prevents A-League clubs from registering a player if a multi-club ownership/partnership club buys a player from an A-League club and attempts to transfer/loan that player to its sister club until whichever comes first – the end of the time that had been remaining on the player’s contract with the club that sold him, or the expiry of two transfer windows, including the window in which the player moved.

Welcome home. pic.twitter.com/VCeHbPPVkd

— Auckland FC (@fc_auckland) August 8, 2024

Paulsen was under contract with Phoenix until 2027 when he was sold to Bournemouth, meaning the earliest he could sign with Auckland under the current “Caceres Clause” would be the transfer window starting in June next year.

However, all A-League clubs – including the Phoenix – have supported a review of the clause “due to the increased transfer market opportunity for clubs and the change in broader club ownership structures in place across the league since the inception of the player contracting rule in 2016”.
“The review process sought feedback from all clubs about the rule change and what, if any guardrails would be required, and took into consideration the league and Clubs’ emphasis on youth development, improving overseas talent pathways and increasing opportunities for international player transfer and loan fees,” an Australian Professional Leagues statement said.

“A player contracting rule change was supported by all clubs, with the premise that the APL reviews and maintains certain guardrails.”

FA is currently reviewing the clause, with a decision on whether it will be scrapped or altered expected next month.

In the meantime, Paulsen – who last season represented the A-League All-Stars and played for New Zealand at the Paris Olympics – is expected to be free to play in friendly matches for Auckland after being registered with New Zealand’s football federation.

Foley is also a part owner of French team FC Lorient and Scottish club Hibernian, but it was decided Paulsen would be loaned to Auckland due to the businessman’s total ownership of the new A-League club as well as issues with getting a UK work permit.

The Phoenix released a statement on Friday saying that while the club supported “adapting the ‘Caceres Clause’ to allow Paulsen to return to the A-League for the 2024-25 season”, it had several questions “yet to be answered” by the APL.

“Most importantly we don’t know what ‘player registration and salary cap treatment guardrails’ will be in place that APL say will ‘balance development of the A-League while ensuring competition integrity’,” the statement said.

“We also note all player contract regulations and competition policies have yet to be approved by Football Australia.”