Melbourne Victory have signed Subway Young Socceroos captain Sebastian Esposito on loan from Serie A outfit Lecce.
Esposito returns to Australia on a temporary deal, having left Isuzu UTE A-League rivals Melbourne City for Italy’s Lecce in January 2024.
The towering centre-back was a key member of Lecce’s Under-20 team and wore the captain’s armband, earning a place on the bench for the first team in Serie A fixtures against Inter, Roma and Napoli.
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Esposito also captained the Young Socceroos to an historic U20 AFC Asian Cup title before being called up for the Socceroos’ recent training camp.
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“I’m excited to join Melbourne Victory for this season, it is an excellent opportunity for me to develop my game by playing senior level football and training alongside top quality players,” Esposito said.
“Seeing how the club has significantly aided in the development of various players who have gone on to play their best club football at Victory, and then represent the Socceroos, I know if I can work hard and give my all on and off the pitch, then I can too can make a difference, and achieve my goals and dreams.
“Having already played alongside the likes of Joshua Inserra, Franco Lino and Kayne Razmovski for the Young Socceroos, I’m looking forward to joining up with the group and competing for glory this season.”
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Described as “one of Australia’s top defensive talents”, Esposito joins Franco Lino, Keegan Jelacic and Louis D’Arrigo as Victory’s new signings heading into 2025-26.
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“Possessing excellent leadership qualities that have seen him lead the national team to success, I believe that Sebastian will be a great addition to our squad for the upcoming season,” said Victory head coach Arthur Diles.
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“Having the ability to play alongside and learn from our current centre-backs will be extremely beneficial to Sebastian’s development.
“Our club has accelerated the growth of a number of players recently and we will continue to be forward-thinking and develop talented Australian footballers, who can help deliver success for Melbourne Victory, our members and our fans.”
