Adelaide United FC midfielder Lucas Pantelis will remain a ‘Red’ for at least the next two seasons, after signing a contract extension with the club.
The new two year deal is set to see Pantelis become one of the club’s longest serving players, the pint sized left footer joining captain Travis Dodd and defender Robert Cornthwaite as the lone survivors still at United from the inaugural Hyundai A-League season in 2005.
After some uncertainty about where his playing future lay with his current contract ending in June, Pantelis is pleased to have signed with the Reds and that he can concentrate on giving two of his best years to the club.
“I’ve been here for five years and I’ve been very happy during that time, so I’m looking forward to the next couple of seasons and am glad it (the speculation) is all done and dusted,” Pantelis said.
“At the age of 28 you would think you’ve got the next two or three best years in front of you, and I’ve started well in the ACL and want to continue that form into the next four games of the Group Stage, and then on into the Hyundai A-League.”
Pantelis, who was the Reds’ leading goal scorer in the Hyundai A-League 2009/10 season, has been in fine touch in the AFC Champions League and Coach Aurelio Vidmar exclaimed it is this form that he hopes Pantelis will continue to produce.
“We’re really pleased that we were able to secure Lucas’ signature. He’s in some really good touch at the moment, and that’s the Lucas Pantelis we all know, and he’ll be a valuable asset for the next two years,” Vidmar said.
“It’s starting to come together and at this time of year players want to know who’s staying and who’s going, and Lucas is another piece of that puzzle.”
The former Australian Under 23, Under 20 and Under 17 international is currently two games shy of making his 100th appearance in all competitions for United, a milestone he would have reached earlier if not for a serious knee injury, which kept him out of the entire 2006/07 Hyundai A-League season.
Pantelis’ re-signing comes just hours after the club announced it had secured Dutch striker Sergio van Dijk until 2013.
Adelaide United will take on Japan’s Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Wednesday 24 March 2010 at Hindmarsh Stadium in Match Day 3 of the AFC Champions League (Kick-Off 7.30pm ACDT). Tickets are available through Ticketek (call 132 849, online at www.ticketek.com.au).
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