With interest from Reading and the Seagulls, the 17-year-old Joey’s mind was made up the moment Socceroos midfielder Mooy strolled across the foyer at Brighton’s training complex and introduced himself.
The budding number 10 will officially link up with the Premier League side once he gets the all clear to travel after the coronavirus lockdown is lifted.
Yet to play an A-League game for the Sky Blues, Peupion impressed during a 12-day audition on the south coast and - pending a medical - will sign a three-year contract.
The Sydney-raised kid - who has a French father and English mother - scored five goals in a subsequent trial match for Championship side Reading in an 8-3 win over England Schoolboys.
But that fleeting meeting with Mooy was a clincher in deciding his next career destination.
“He’s always been a player I’ve looked up to and admired, so when he came up and said hello and had a bit of chat it was quite special,” said Peupion.
“We share the same agent (the Stellar Group who also represent Gareth Bale) and Aaron was told there was an Aussie boy coming town, and he took me under his wing a little bit.
“I also got to meet (Socceroos and Seagulls keeper) Mat Ryan a couple of times, and those boys were really good to me.”
Peupion, who grew up on Sydney’s northern beaches, has been on the Sky Blues’ books for four years and an undisclosed fee with Brighton has been agreed.
He also rubbed shoulders with another Australian in East Sussex, Sweden-raised midfielder Peter Gwargis, who has already had a taste of first team action and is a regular with the U-23s.
“It’s been a dream of mine to play in Europe since I was a little boy, and this is a big step,” added the youngster.
“It’s something I’ve always looked forward to and I can’t wait.”
With both British and French passports to go with his Australian citizenship, Peupion won’t have any red tape hurdles to negotiate once he arrives in the UK.
“Sydney FC have been really good to me but now is the right time to take the next career step,” he said.
Peupion will initially link with Brighton’s U-18 academy team, but he’s already trained with the U-23s and didn’t feel out of place.
“The facilities there are incredible and I just think it’s a good fit. I loved the place the minute I got there.
“I’m just going work as hard as I can to get to the next level.”
