MISSISSAUGA — For as long as he could remember, Peter Zehdee would wake up early on weekends to watch his favourite soccer teams play in the English Premier League.

Now, the 17-year-old from Malton has a chance to make his dream of playing professionally in England come true.

He leaves for the U.K. Saturday to pursue the opportunity of playing for Chesterfield FC, a League One club that plays one rung below the EPL.

"It would be like living my dream," said Zehdee, who was born in London and still has family in the U.K. "I feel like I'd make my family, friends and the city I come from very proud. It would be amazing."

Zehdee earned the invitation to Chesterfield through a recruiting service called Player to Pro.

Earlier this summer, the organization connected him with tryouts in Spain and Gibraltar and he drew enough attention from Chesterfield scouts to earn a contract with their youth team.

Zehdee, who has played club soccer with the North Mississauga Panthers and Dixie Athletics, thought long and hard about whether he should pursue a professional contract in Europe or an NCAA Division I scholarship in the United States.

Universities such as South Carolina and Wright State had shown interest in recruiting him.

"I talked to my parents about it and discussed it for a long period of time from December up until the day I left for Europe in July." he said. "We decided it was either now or never. I either take a university scholarship in the U.S. or try my luck in Europe."

Zehdee is optimistic about his chances of making it onto Chesterfield's first team next year, but he also realizes his age and lack of experience training in England compared to the other invites can be a challenge.