Luke Brooke-Smith is leaving Wellington Phoenix after both clubs agreed a £400,000 transfer with English Championship side Portsmouth. The 18-year-old midfielder will join Pompey on a three-year contract this summer.

What’s the transfer breakdown?

Portsmouth have finalised a £400k deal for Wellington Phoenix’s Luke Brooke-Smith, Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph confirms. The teenager will be Pompey’s sixth signing from the Australian top flight this window. Odin Bailey and Eoin Kenny arrived earlier in the summer, while Marko Milovanovic and Rocco Shein are expected to complete deals before Brooke-Smith’s move is finalised.

Brooke-Smith’s exit comes as Wellington Phoenix sit 8th in the A-League with 33 points from 26 games, 15 points behind league leaders Newcastle Jets, and have conceded 48 goals this season.

Who is Luke Brooke-Smith?

Brooke-Smith, 18, is an attacking midfielder who can play wide or centrally. He made his New Zealand U20 debut last year before featuring at the 2025 FIFA U20 World Cup. His career started at Cambridge in 2023, then a move to Hamilton Wanderers a year later, before joining Wellington Phoenix where he became the youngest New Zealand player to feature in the A-League.

At 5ft8in, Brooke-Smith uses pace and directness to create chances. His form for Wellington Phoenix this season included a heavy 4-0 loss to Macarthur on April 24, 2026. Over the last five games, Wellington have two wins and three losses (LLWWL), including the last two.

Why this move matters for both sides

For Portsmouth, Brooke-Smith fits their push to lower the squad’s average age. Manager John Mousinho has already added Bailey and Kenny, with Milovanovic and Shein set to follow. The club’s transfer strategy leans on high-potential overseas signings, and Brooke-Smith’s ceiling is steep.

For Wellington Phoenix, losing a homegrown talent to Europe is bittersweet. The club’s 36 goals scored this season leave room for improvement, but Brooke-Smith’s development in England could eventually benefit New Zealand football. Pompey may opt to loan him out first to ease his transition to English football’s physicality.

Brooke-Smith’s A-League stats show a direct, pacey attacker who can unlock defences. His move to Portsmouth marks another step in his rapid rise from Hamilton Wanderers to the Championship in under three years. The question now is whether he can replicate the impact of Adrian Segecic, who starred for Pompey after arriving from the A-League.