Anton Peterlin’s dream officially became a reality on Wednesday.
The former Cal Poly defensive midfielder signed a contract with Everton Football Club of Barclays English Premier League on the day that transfer windows opened for the league.
“I’ve worked hard to get to this point, but there’s still a lot more to do,” Peterlin said in a statement.
The declaration ends weeks of speculation as to whether Peterlin would truly join one of the world’s top soccer clubs.
Peterlin, whose contract terms were unannounced, tried out with the club for 10 days bridging April and May of this year. It was widely reported that he had impressed the Everton coaching staff and would be signed, but many Internet observers were skeptical that a player from a program just building to prominence could make such an improbable jump.
Peterlin will become the first Mustang to sign with an EPL team. He said he hopes the move will inspire his former teammates into pushing forward toward a professional career.
“(Cal Poly) has some good players — players that can play at the next level,” Peterlin said.
While the leap to European soccer seemed implausible to some, his former Cal Poly coaches had faith in their former player.
“If people have watched Anton over the last three years here, the one thing that Anton has is just an amazing work rate,” Cal Poly head coach Paul Holocher told the Mustang Daily in May. “He is a tireless worker. He’s in a defensive midfield position which is really an important position on the field and he has learned to master that position.”
Peterlin will join an Everton club that is well-respected worldwide. The Toffees finished as runners-up to Chelsea in May’s FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium and qualified for the 2009-10 Europa League after finishing fifth last season in the Barclays Premier League table.
Everton, which was founded in 1878, holds the EPL record for having played continuously in the top flight for 107 seasons. The lone other American at Everton is United States Men’s National Team goalkeeper Tim Howard.
Howard recently impressed with his play in leading the United States to the Final of the Confederations Cup in South Africa last week.
Peterlin will arrive at Everton attempting to prove that he belongs on the pitch helping Howard and his teammates in the defensive half.
“I’m excited to head over and try to break into the first team,” Peterlin said.
He may have an immediate opportunity to break into the first team when the club opens its preseason schedule on July 12 when the club contests its first match on African soil against either Ashanti Kotoko or Hearts of Oak, both of Ghana. The Toffees return to England six days later for a match at League Two (fourth tier) side Rochdale AFC.
Everton faces Argentinean club River Plate in Edmonton on July 25 before competing against the MLS All-Stars at Real Salt Lake’s Rio Tinto Stadium July 30. The Toffees open the Barclays Premier League campaign at home to Arsenal Aug. 15.
Peterlin could be with the team during those matches and may get a chance to compete.
Everton’s reserve side, Blues XI, begins its schedule at Welsh club Airbus UK July 18.