Gianluca Okon-Engstler (17) and Club NXT have agreed upon a contract extension until 2029. Club's Australo-Italian defensive midfielder joined the NXT teams in 2020 from Australia, and went through the ranks ever since. The Club Brugge force in strong in the Okon-Engstler family, his brothers also active at Club: Alessandro at Club NXT U14 and Davide at Club NXT U13.
The past season came with some important steps for Okon-Engstler: he made his debut in professional football in August against Jong Genk in the Challenger Pro League, totalling 9 appearances. He also played his part in Club's UEFA Youth League campaign where he was a mainstay in eight games, with the final in Lausanne as cherry on top.
On an international level, Okon-Engstler has joined the Italian U17 team. In March of 2026, he scored his first goal for the Azzurri in a 2-2 draw against Portugal U17.
Club NXT acknowledges Gianluca's growth, leading to this contract extension. His intelligence and great stamina make him a very valuable asset for Club NXT and one of the many talents within Club.