HUGE PRESSURE ON HOT FAVOURITES

With Albirex now a local side on even field, consensus is for star-studded Sailors to win

- Deepanraj Ganesan

At $9.8 million, the Lion City Sailors have the most expensive roster in the Singapore Premier League (SPL), according to football website Transfermarkt. Brunei DPMM are the next most valuable SPL team at $3.5 million.

Since becoming Singapore's first privatised football club in 2020, the Sailors have spared no expense to be the best. But despite spending millions amassing international and local stars, their 2021 triumph remains their solitary league title, as they slipped up against Albirex Niigata in 2020, 2022 and 2023.

But as the star-studded Sailors enter the 2024-25 SPL season, they will do so with the weight of expectation heavier than ever now that the league title has become theirs to lose. Especially after perennial contenders and defending champions

Albirex Niigata announced their move to become a local team. Unlike previous seasons where they fielded up to nine Japanese players, they, like every other SPL team, can now field only up to six foreigners and a minimum of five local players.

Sailors coach Aleksandar Rankovic admitted that the pressure is on his team to win. He said: "The pressure is always here, because let's be honest, we bring in a lot of good foreigners and we have the best local players.