Melbourne Victory is excited to announce the signing of Young Socceroos captain Sebastian Esposito, joining on loan from Serie A Club US Lecce.
Making the move to Italy after playing his youth football in Melbourne, Esposito signed with Lecce in January 2024 and quickly made an impression.
The towering centre-back became a key member of Lecce’s U20s side, rewarded with multiple inclusions on the first team’s bench for Serie A clashes against the likes of Inter Milan, Roma and Napoli.
The 2024/25 season was particularly special for Esposito, reaching new heights for both club and country.
Esposito donned the armband for Lecce’s U20s and started in all matches where available. He also finished the campaign having scored two goals. Midway through the season, Esposito led the Young Socceroos in the U20 AFC Asian Cup, captaining the side all the way to their first-ever Asian Cup title.
Esposito’s fine performances earned him call-ups to the Australia U23s and most notably the Socceroos’ training camp back in May, a remarkable achievement for the now 20-year-old.
Returning to home soil in preparation for the A-League Men’s season, Esposito is keen to get started.
“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.
“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.”
Securing one of Australia’s top defensive talents, Melbourne Victory Head Coach Arthur Diles is thrilled with the signing of Esposito.
“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.
“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.”
Esposito joins Franco Lino, Keegan Jelacic and Louis D’Arrigo who have signed with the Club for the upcoming season.
