Eli Adams (2002)

Eli Adams • 23-year-old right winger • Australia

Adams is a tall and athletic right winger at 183 cm with good pace and strong physical capacity. Although he starts wide on the right, he frequently moves into central areas and operates almost as an attacking midfielder in possession. He shows very good vision and has a natural feel for combination play, allowing him to influence the game between the lines.

Technically secure with strong close control and confident dribbling ability, Adams can beat defenders in tight spaces and carries the ball forward with purpose. His passing quality is high and he consistently looks to play progressive balls into dangerous areas. In addition, his defensive contributions are solid, winning well over 50% of the ground duels.

His left foot is his main weapon, though his right foot is also decent. He strikes powerful shots from distance and is a genuine threat outside the box. On set pieces he is also a direct scoring threat from free kicks with his sledgehammer of a left foot, in addition to delivering accurate balls into the penalty area.

With 4 goals and 3 assists in 12 matches, he has already produced solid numbers this season. In addition to his direct contributions, he creates a significant number of chances for teammates through key passes and intelligent runs in behind the defence and late runs into the box.

Areas for improvement

He can still improve his goal conversion rate and become more efficient in front of goal. Decision making in the final third can also be refined, particularly in choosing when to shoot and when to release a teammate, both in open play and from set pieces.

Career trajectory and current form

Adams made his A League debut for Brisbane Roar in January 2022 before moving to Melbourne Victory later that year. Limited opportunities there led to a move to Newcastle Jets in July 2024, where he established himself and delivered a strong 24/25 season.

Expectations were high going into the 25/26 campaign. An ankle injury early in the season and minor hamstring issues disrupted his rhythm, but he has still produced solid numbers for the young and very talented Newcastle Jets side currently leading the A League midway through the season.

Transfer outlook

The Australian A League is currently ranked 10th in the AFC league rankings. Adams attracted interest from European clubs after his strong 24/25 season, including Austria Vienna. A move to a league ranked around the top 15 in Europe appears realistic. With his contract running until June 2027, a transfer fee in the region of 500 thousand Euro would be reasonable for a creative wide player entering his prime.