On Friday morning AEST, 20-year-old midfielder Cameron Peupion became the 55th Australian to play in the Premier League.
Australia has a new Premier League player after Cameron Peupion came off the bench to make his debut for Brighton and Hove Albion in a 4-1 loss to Newcastle United on Friday morning AEST.
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The 20-year-old midfielder replaced goal scorer Deniz Undav on 85 minutes and watched on as the Magpies scored two late goals through Callum Wilson and Bruno Guimaraes to move only one win away from securing Champions League football.
In his 14 minutes on the pitch, Peupion registered six touches and completed three of his four passes as he became the 55th Aussie to see the field in the Premier League.
A former Sydney FC junior, the Australia Under-23 international made his move to the Seagulls in 2020 before he was able to earn an opportunity in the A-League Men – at the time, he was just 17 years old – and has been working his way through the ranks ever since.
Peupion started in Brighton’s Under-18 side, before graduating into their Premier League 2 outfit, where he has continued his development with an eye on earning a top-flight bow.
It is little wonder De Zerbi has brought the young Australian into the first team fold now, given the remarkable run of form he has put together in recent times. Peupion was named Premier League 2 Player of the Month for April after scoring six goals and adding three assists in the space of five matches against Liverpool, Manchester City, Arsenal and Manchester United, no less.
The highlight of that run was undoubtedly a hat-trick against a City side featuring Socceroos midfielder Alexander Robertson.
Peupion has actually provided a goal or an assist in each of his last six appearances in Premier League Two, finishing the campaign with a bang to earn the right to feature alongside players like Moises Caicedo, Alexis Mac Allister and co.
Brighton sit sixth on the Premier League table with three matches still to play and will have their eyes firmly on securing a Europa League spot for next season at the expense of Tottenham and Aston Villa.
With Harry Souttar struggling for game time at a Leicester side in genuine relegation danger, Peupion’s arrival on the top-flight scene is a timely boost for Aussie football fans hoping to see our Socceroos and Olyroos stars in action on the biggest stage.
The Seagulls’ final three matches are against Southampton, Manchester City and Aston Villa.
Who is Cameron Peupion?
Peupion is a 20-year-old midfielder who came through the Sydney FC academy before earning a move to Premier League side Brighton in 2020.
“I started off local; Wakehurst Tigers, then went to Manly United, to my local rep team, then at the age of about 13, I got scouted to go and play for Sydney FC in the academy,” he explained to Optus Sport.
“I spent five years at Sydney which was really great, I loved my time there. I was improving, learning lots of things, (but I) always did want to potentially go overseas and try and make it in England or somewhere in Europe.
“I ended up representing Australia at the Under-17 World Cup which was a great opportunity for me and an awesome experience.
“After that, I managed to get trials at Brighton and Reading. I went over after the World Cup and luckily got a contract here at Brighton and have been here ever since.”
Pepion has represented Australia at Under-17 and Under-23 level and will have designs on breaking into Graham Arnold’s Socceroos squad in the upcoming World Cup cycle.
He grew up a Chelsea fan, idolising Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.
The midfielder’s ‘end goal is to play for the Socceroos’.
