Former Japan international Keisuke Honda will be strutting his stuff in the Singapore Premier League next season.
He will represent FC Jurong, the club currently known as Albirex Niigata, it has been announced on 10 April.
In a statement on the club’s website, it said: “This agreement goes beyond the signing of a single player; it aims to create new value for the club together and contribute to the further development of the Singapore football community as a whole.”
Honda turns 40 in June and he has made 98 appearances for Japan which include the 2010, 2014 and 2018 World Cup tournaments.
He said in the club’s statement, “I am delighted to have the opportunity to play for FC Jurong.
“As I turn 40 this year, I am pursuing several personal challenges, including a Guinness World Record for scoring in the most countries’ top leagues.
“However, my primary goal with this club is to win the league title.
“There are a couple of very strong rivals, so it will be a tough challenge, but I am determined to achieve it.”
The player left AC Milan in 2017 and has since been roving around the world as he turned out for clubs in Mexico, Australia and even Bhutan, among others.
He was also the national coach of Cambodia from 2018 to 2023.
WHAT WOULD BE THE IMPACT OF HIS APPEARANCE IN THE SPL
Honda’s signing could well raise the profile of the league albeit momentarily.
Surely, there will be an early burst of interest even in Japan about the announcement, which could turn eyes in the direction of the Singapore Premier League.
But the reality is that Honda has been a journeyman and he is about to hit 40.
Would his signing give FC Jurong the push to challenge for the SPL title?
Unlikely.
MAIN PHOTO: AL JAZEERA