Official: Parma extends contract with 21-year-old central defender Alessandro Cercatti until June 2029

Parma released a statement on Tuesday confirming that it has completed the contract extension with Alessandro Cercatti. The new contract will extend the original contract by two years until June 30, 2029.

Alessandro Cercatti, 21, was born in Fidenza, Italy, and moved to Australia with his parents when he was young. He studied in the youth training of Perth FC and Perth Glory, and joined Parma U18 in February 2021.

On February 26, 2022, Cercati made his Parma first-team debut in the Serie B match against Split. He mainly plays as a central defender and has made 60 appearances so far, scoring 1 goal and providing 2 assists.

On September 27, 2024, Cercati unfortunately suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee after playing four Serie A games for Parma. His recovery is currently progressing smoothly and he is expected to return in April this year.

After completing the contract extension, Cercati said: "I am very happy about the renewal and I have a good relationship with Parma and its fans. At Parma, I feel all the support I need to move forward. I would like to thank the management and especially the chairman Kyle J. Krause for the trust they have placed in me at this special moment. I can't wait to get back on the pitch, fight alongside my teammates and help the team achieve our goals."

Cercati's statement means that he will do his best to help the team achieve the goal of relegation after his return. Parma currently ranks 17th in Serie A with 5 wins, 8 draws and 13 losses, accumulating 23 points, only two points above the relegation zone.