MELBOURNE midfielder Christian Petracca is a Demon for life, having signed a seven-year contract extension with the club.

The 25-year-old, whose contract was set to expire next year, will now pull on the red and blue until the end of the 2029 season.

Melbourne List Manager Tim Lamb said the new deal spoke volumes about the midfielder’s faith in the direction the Dees are heading.

“Christian will now be a Melbourne player for life and our members and supporters can look forward to cheering him on through what we are sure will be the best years of his career,” he told Melbourne Media.

“Over the past couple of seasons, Christian has established himself as one of the competition’s elite players and we are confident his best is still to come.

“To turn his back on Free Agency, and what would have undoubtedly been significant offers from other clubs, is a testament to his character and shows how much he loves this club, his teammates, coaches and the environment we have worked so hard to create.

“It is an exciting time to be a part of the club and Christian has been unwavering in his commitment to being part of the journey we are on.  

“He is focused on helping lead us to where we want to get to, and we can’t wait to see what he can produce in the red and blue for many more years to come.”

While there have been growing talks of his future at Melbourne beyond next year, the much-loved Dee was steadfast in his commitment to the club.  

Since debuting in 2016, Petracca has grown in confidence year on year, becoming an integral part of the Demons’ list and one of the most reliable players in the league. 

His efforts in 2020 saw him take out the club’s Best and Fairest Award, as well as earn inaugural All Australian honours – he averaged 23.5 disposals and finished with the second-most contested possessions in the competition. 

Petracca, who joins the likes of Max Gawn, Jake Lever, Clayton Oliver and Christian Salem in committing to the club, was drafted with pick No.2 in 2014. 

He has 109 games and 102 goals to his name, with his continued development an exciting prospect for the Melbourne faithful.