Wellington Phoenix teenager Luke Brooke-Smith has completed a move to English Championship side Portsmouth after the club accepted an undisclosed transfer fee for the exciting young forward.
The 18-year-old left Wellington after making 33 Isuzu UTE A-League appearances across the past two seasons, having joined the Phoenix as a 16-year-old in 2024.
The Phoenix’s youngest ever first team player having made his A-League debut aged just 16 years and 199 days, Brooke-Smith then became the club’s youngest men’s goalscorer when he scored against Auckland FC.
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Phoenix head coach Chris Greenacre admitted Brooke-Smith’s departure was bittersweet but backed the youngster to thrive in England.
“I’m disappointed because I want to work with the best players and Luke’s one of the best prospects in New Zealand,” Greenacre said.
“I think we could have built a team around him.
“Luke showed, particularly in the last game of the season against Macarthur, what he can produce in the A-League.
“As a result we were keen to extend his contract, but I can understand how a move to England is difficult to resist for a young player.
“I wish Luke all the best at Portsmouth and have told him if he needs anything to pick up the phone.
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“His move again proves our club has the leading pathway in the country for nurturing and developing young and emerging talent.
“And it’s part of the Phoenix Way to help our players live out their dreams of playing abroad.”
Brooke-Smith described the opportunity to join Portsmouth as a lifelong ambition.
“If someone told me when I first signed to the Phoenix two years ago that I’d be heading to the Championship after my second season I would have bitten their hand off,” Brooke-Smith said.
“My dad’s side of the family are English and growing up I watched a lot of the Championship, so it’s going to be unreal to play in it.”
The teenager paid tribute to Greenacre, who coached him at both international and club level.
“If I could have stayed with Greeny, I would have loved to.
“He’s one of my favourite coaches. He was my coach at the under-20 World Cup and we had a really good relationship.
“It was great being able to work with him week-in, week-out when he took over as interim head coach at the end of last season.
“I respect him so much and I’m sure we’ll stay in touch as he knows the English game so well.”
**MAIN PICTURE CREDIT: PORTSMOUTH FC
