The Lion City Sailors have confirmed the onboarding of Brazilian striker Anderson Lopes from Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos for an undisclosed fee.
At the back of a successful campaign where the club clinched the domestic double and qualified for the final of the Asian Champions League 2, the signing of the 31-year-old goal machine from Brazil signals a clear intent.
Domination.
A three-year deal will see Lopes don Sailors colours through to the end of the 2027/28 Singapore Premier League (SPL) season.
After finding the net 81 times in 157 matches across four seasons in Japan, his job is now to help the Sailors win at the continental level.
“I’m thrilled to join the Sailors at such an exciting point in their journey,” he said in the statement issued by the Sailors.
“Their run to the ACL Two final last season really caught my attention, and I’ve been impressed by the club’s vision and ambition to elevate Singapore football.”
“My objectives are clear: I’m here to contribute, to score goals, to win trophies, and to help the team make a real impact in Asia.”
Lopes arrives in Singapore with an outstanding pedigree and a reputation as one of Asia’s top strikers, said the Sailors in a statement.
He finished as the J1 League’s top scorer in back-to-back seasons (2023 and 2024), and was a key figure for Marinos since joining the club in 2022.
He netted 11 goals in his debut campaign to help the side clinch the J1 League title, before lifting the Japanese Super Cup in 2023.
His impact extended to the Asian stage, where he played a starring role in Marinos’ historic run to the final of the 2023/24 AFC Champions League (ACL).
The following season, he finished as the tournament’s second-highest scorer with nine goals — ahead of marquee names such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Aleksandar Mitrović, and Ivan Toney — underscoring his ability to shine against Asia’s elite.
The 1.85m forward has racked up 101 career goals in the J1 League across stints with Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, and Yokohama F. Marinos.
His career also includes spells in K League 1 with FC Seoul and in the Chinese Super League with Wuhan FC, after beginning his professional journey in his native Brazil.
Lopes will join a star-studded side which will include the likes of Safuwan Baharudin, Ivan Susak and Tsiy-William Ndenge, as a new season beckons.
MAIN PHOTO: J-LEAGUE