Sydney FC have beaten eight other A-League clubs to get Nathan Amanatidis’ signature, with the talented forward earning his first senior contract.
Amanatidis was highly sought after by the league after a shining display for Australia’s U17 side at the AFC Asian Cup where he scored two goals and made one assist.
The highly rated 17-year-old has penned a three-year deal with the Sky Blues, the club he felt was the right choice to start his senior playing career.
“Sydney FC is the perfect club for me to begin my A-League career and I’m feeling incredibly happy to be here,” Amanatidis said in the club’s announcement.
“There are some extremely talented players, and I cannot wait to play with and learn from the likes of Joe Lolley and Robert Mak.
The winger joined the squad on Monday and has started to settle in nicely.
“I can already feel a good energy and vibe among this squad and the competition for places is going to be fierce. I am excited for the season to start,” Amanatidis said.
Head Coach Steve Corica is excited with the acquisition of another young talent to his squad, especially given how in demand he was.
“Nathan is an exceptionally exciting player who is going to thrill our members with his speed, skill and goalscoring ability,” Mr Corica said.
“There were a lot of clubs wanting to sign him, so I am delighted we have and I am looking forward to what he can bring to the club.”
The Sky Blues manager did stress that the club will look into some older players to occupy the remaining positions left in their squad to help support the team, particularly given the exits of veterans like former captain Alex Wilkinson (retirement) and star striker Adam Le Fondre (Hibernian FC).
“We still have a few spots on the roster to fill and the aim will be to bring in more experience, but the balance is looking good right now,” Mr Corica said.
