Melbourne City have announced 17-year-old defender Peter Antoniou has signed his first professional contract with the club.
Joining City aged 11, Antoniou becomes just the third player in club history to have progressed through the entirety of their Player Development Pathway and will now join the first team squad this season after signing a three-year scholarship deal.
A versatile defender who can operate across the backline as well as in midfield, Antoniou follows in the footsteps of fellow graduates Jayden Necovski and Lawrence Wong who recently penned their first professional contracts with the club ahead of the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
“Peter has all of the qualities and skills that we look for in a City full-back that complement our style of play.
Melbourne City Director of Football, Michael Petrillo
Petrillo continued: “He has a bright future ahead of him, and with hard work and a commitment to constantly improve, we believe he can become an important player for our squad in the years to come.”
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Having already represented Australia at U16 and U17 level, Antoniou was then selected for the recent Subway Young Socceroos squad at the ASEAN U19 Boys’ Championships.
“Not many players have worked as hard and deserve this opportunity more than Peter,” said Melbourne City’s Senior Academy Manager, Simon Zappia,
“From a young age, he has been a constant role model for others in our Academy with his professionalism and general approach to development.
“The staff amongst the Academy are very excited to see him earn this opportunity and are confident he will grab it with both hands.”
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Now aiming to compete with incumbent right back Callum Talbot for minutes this coming Isuzu UTE A-League season, Antoniou says he’s delighted to have put pen-to-paper on his new deal.
“It’s an amazing feeling to have started in City Football Schools and work my way through the Academy to sign a first-team contract.
“I’ve been working hard towards this for years, so it’s a really special moment for myself and my family.
“Right now, I’m fully focused on getting fit and doing everything I can to continue to develop and hopefully get some first team minutes this season.”
Melbourne City are next in action on Saturday, August 3 when they face fellow Isuzu UTE A-League side Perth Glory in the Australia Cup Round of 32.
