English Premier League soccer club Sunderland have offered a one-year deal to New Zealand under-20 captain Jack Pelter, the Sunderland Echo newspaper reported.
Born in Britain, but raised in New Zealand, Pelter was spotted at the Under-20 World Cup in Canada when he battled with Mexican strikers to
score New Zealand's only goal at the tournament in a 1-2 loss.
He was offered a trial on Wearside, playing pre-season games against Scunthorpe and Berwick.
The former Christchurch Technical player has now been offered an opportunity to stay on Wearside for a season in a bid to further progress.
Pelter impressed coach and former Manchester United player Roy Keane, and All Whites coach Ricky Herbert - who coached Pelter in the New Zealand A team - said Keane possibly saw something of himself in Pelter.
Keane said at the time he was impressed with Pelter's physical presence in the team.
Pelter is the first New Zealand player to make a leap from the domestic New Zealand Football Championship to the biggest league, and will be only the fifth Kiwi to play with the top English players. Others included Lee Osgood (Ipswich Town), Danny Hay (Leeds United), Ryan Nelsen (Blackburn) and Simon Elliott (Fulham).
From Canada, Pelter was initially set for a trial period at Leeds United. His mother lives in Morley, just outside Leeds.
Born in Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, Pelter moved to New Zealand at the age of nine with parents Jeff and Karin, and was quickly identified by Canterbury and New Zealand youth team selectors.
At 15 he had a stint at Bolton Wanderers and Knights boss Chris Turner took him to Chelsea and Swansea.
In 2005 he was added to the Canterbury United squad and after United named him defender of the year he was picked for the New Zealand A tour to Vietnam and captained the under-20 side in New Zealand's first ever series win in Australia.
- NZPA
