Who is Hayden Matthews? The 'sensational' £1m+ defender inspired by Liverpool star and admired by ex-Crystal Palace man who Pompey are set to sign
Pompey are poised to land one of their long-term targets after reports emerged on Sunday that a ‘deal’ had been struck for Hayden Matthews.
Matthews has been a player on Pompey's radar for several months, with a move for the Sydney FC centre-back something the Blues were exploring at the tail end of the summer transfer window.
A move failed to materialise, however, as the 20-year-old stayed in Australia. But he’s remained within the Blues’ sights since - and also probably grabbed the attention of other clubs after making his international debut for the Socceroos in November.
That might explain why Pompey see the need to sign him this month. Although, it’s fair to say his valuation might have shot up since initial contact was made with Sydney during the last transfer window.
John Mousinho has spoken about needing players for the here and now during the current transfer window, so the big question is: is Matthews ready for the relegation fight?
Ony time will tell. In the meantime, here’s the lowdown on the latest Aussie who could be calling Fratton Park home.
Hayden Matthews profiled
Born in Sydney, Matthews is a 20-year-old centre-back, who stands at an impressive six foot and five inches. He has one cap for the Australian national team, making his debut in a World Cup qualifier against Bahrain at the end of last year.
Earlier this month, TransferMarkt gave him a new valuation of €1m. It's a considerable rise from when he burst on to the scene last January and was valued at €25k, before shooting up to €300,000 in May.
Matthews is a life-long Sydney FC supporter, and so for him to be considering leaving the club he holds dear to his heart, is a big step in his career. The youngster counts Gerard Pique and Virgil van Dijk as his inspirations growing up, while former team-mate Alex Wilkinson, who made 16 appearances for the Socceroos, is another player who has helped shape his career.
The defender has, to date, made 36 appearances for Sydney's first team, after making his debut last year. Matthews is yet to get off the mark goal-wise in senior football but he has helped Sydney keep eight clean sheets this season.
In Australia, their season runs from October to May, and so far this term, Matthews has played in a side which are currently sixth in the A-League standings - six points off leaders Adelaide United. Despite being just 20, in December Matthews was entrusted with the captain’s armband in a 3-1 win over Kaya FC-Iloilo in the AFC Champions League.
Matthews boasts 3,877 followers on Instagram and that will soon go up should he finalise his move to Pompey. The Blues are already followed by the youngster on the social media platform, but it’s unknown how long he has been following them for.
He is represented by FullNinety Sports Management which counts Callum Lang as one of its clients. Harry Souttar, an Australia international who plays for Sheffield United, is also on their books.
What has been said about Hayden Matthews?
Ufuk Talay is the man who gave Hayden Matthews his start in senior football. Matthews first played for their development team, before making his debut against Newcastle Jets in January 2024. He was brought in to provide cover for former Manchester City and Sunderland man Jack Rodwell and has since made the centre-back position his own.
'Hayden has been sensational since he’s come in,’ said Talay to the official A Leagues website.
'What we try to do is simplify the game for him as much as we can and let him find the solutions at times within the game.
'The great thing with Hayden is he’s a big lad and gives us that presence at the back. He’s quick as well for the size that he is, he covers the ground quite well… he’s a very composed central defender.’
Australia national team coach Tony Popovic believes Matthews has a 'lot of potential'. Popovic was a centre-back during his playing career and played for Crystal Palace from 2001 to 2006, mainly playing in the Championship.
Of course, the game has changed since the early 2000s, but Popovic - like potential new team-mates Kusini Yengi, Jacob Farrell and, of course, Thomas Waddingham - will be in a good position to offer Matthews advice, including as how to settle in the country.
With Souttar now out for the season because of injury, Matthews will be hoping to force his way into the ex-Eagles defender’s starting XI on a regular basis going forward.