Two Singapore Premier League (SPL) teams, the Young Lions and Tanjong Pagar United, aim to improve on their recent performances after finishing in the bottom two places over the past three seasons. Both clubs have reinforced their squads ahead of the 2026-27 campaign, hoping to balance youth development with greater competitiveness.
The Young Lions, under coach Firdaus Kassim, head into their opening match against FC Jurong on September 13 with several new Japanese signings. These additions include Shuya Yamashita, who transferred from Tampines Rovers, and Miyu Sato, Kagami Toji, and Hisatoshi Nishido, all with experience in Japan’s J3 League. Daisuke Sakai, formerly with Indonesian side PSM Makassar, also joined the squad. Firdaus emphasized that these players bring a mix of experience and new perspectives that will complement the development of younger Singaporean talent.
“It is not simply about bringing in numbers; it is about finding the right profiles to complement the squad,” said the 39-year-old coach. He highlighted the challenge of balancing the team’s dual goals: nurturing young players while remaining competitive in the SPL. Senior Singapore internationals Hafiz Nor and Joel Chew are also part of the squad, along with Welsh midfielder Kai Whitmore, who is set to make his SPL debut after signing in April and has hopes of representing Singapore through his heritage.
Meanwhile, Tanjong Pagar United enters the season under new management and with a revamped roster aiming to avoid the league’s wooden spoon for a third consecutive year. The Jaguars’ attack will be led by 2022 Golden Boot winner Boris Kopitovic, supported by Japanese forwards Masahiro Sugita and Riku Fukashiro. Midfielder Lazar Vujanic and defenders Marvin Anieboh of Equatorial Guinea and Japanese player Yuki Aizu bolster the defense ahead of Spanish goalkeeper Aitor Mujica. Established local players such as Madhu Mohana, Taufik Suparno, and promising talent Jared Gallagher also strengthened the squad. Tanjong Pagar will start their season against Geylang International on September 14.
Coach Miquel Llado, in his first stint as head coach, described the team’s atmosphere as “fantastic” and spoke of an attacking style of play that has gained approval from Kopitovic. The 31-year-old Montenegrin striker expressed his ambition to replicate his past goalscoring form to help the club climb the SPL standings, acknowledging the adjustments needed with new players and tactics.
Llado stressed the defensive improvements brought by new signings and their role in organizing the team on the field. “We look competitive – that’s the most important thing. We’re not going to be the Tanjong Pagar of last year, that I can assure you,” he said. However, the coach declined to set specific season targets, preferring to focus on incremental progress, stating, “We go day by day, we go game by game. And at the end of the season, next May, we will put the grades.”
Both teams appear poised for a more competitive season, balancing talent acquisition with long-term player development in Singapore’s top-flight football league.