Player Type: MIDFIELDERS
Nationality: Australian
DOB/Age: 18 September 2003 (21)
Previous Clubs: FK Voždovac (2022-2023), Peninsula Power (2023)
A versatility player who can play on the flanks or across the front line, Obren fills one of the three permitted Under-21 foreign players’ slots for the Sailors’ SPL squad and will look to make his impact with his keen eye for goal.
The 1.86m left-footer comes with experience playing in the Serbian SuperLiga with Voždovac, and was part of Brisbane Roar’s Under-21 side, on top of being a former Bosnia Under-18 international.
Having first trained with the Sailors in the 2023 pre-season, Obren had no qualms coming over again when he got a proper offer from the club this off-season.
Nationality: Dutch
DOB/Age: 29 June 1996 (28)
Previous Clubs: FC Utrecht (2014-2016, 2019-2023), PSV Eindhoven (2016-2019)
Having honed his craft in the Dutch Eredivisie for around a decade, Bart is an exciting acquisition for the Sailors in the recent off-season. A versatile attacking midfielder who has the ability to play on either flank, or centrally in between the lines, he adds depth to the Sailors’ attack with his acceleration and superb playmaking ability.
He rose to prominence as a technically supreme midfield playmaker with PSV, winning the 2017/18 Eredivisie title and featuring in the UEFA Champions League with the Dutch giants. He had two spells with Utrecht, accumulating 130 domestic league appearances for them, before making the move to Singapore in February 2024.
Bart has also been capped thrice at international level with Holland – this includes a start in their 3-1 World Cup qualifying win over Luxembourg in November 2016, where he played alongside the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Wesley Sneijder, Georginio Wijnaldum and Arjen Robben.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 4 March 2004 (20)
Year Promoted to First Team: 2023
The first from the Sailors Academy to sign a professional contract with the Sailors, Asis is one bright prospect to look out for. With superb close control and the ability to play defence-splitting passes, he has the attributes to be a top attacking midfielder for club and country in the coming years.
Asis’s talent was evident from a young age, having attracted the likes of Feyenoord and Galatasaray at the age of 12. Having honed his craft in the club’s Academy for the past few years, he enjoyed a breakthrough 2023 in which he skippered the club’s Under-21s with several creditable performances and made his first team bow in a 7-1 win over Tanjong Pagar United last July.
With the Sailors putting a strong emphasis on having talented youth players progressing through the pipeline, Asis is working hard to repay the coaches’ faith and put in more strong performances in this coming campaign.
Nationality: Portuguese
DOB/Age: 22 March 1998 (26)
Previous Clubs: FC Porto B (2016-2019), Troyes (2019-2022), FC Paços de Ferreira (2021-2022 – loan, 2022-2023)
Rui is a defensive midfielder who spent a large portion of his youth career progressing through the ranks at FC Porto, featuring in their Under-15, U17 and U19 sides.
He was promoted to Porto’s B side to play in Liga Portugal 2, the second tier of Portuguese football, before moving permanently to French Ligue 2 side Troyes. After two seasons there, the midfielder moved back to play in the Portuguese top tier, the Primeira Liga, on loan with FC Paços de Ferreira before the deal was made permanent.
Rui previously captained Portugal’s national age-group sides on a regular basis and was called up till the U20 level. In 2017, he put up a solid display throughout the UEFA European Under-19 Championship, earning him a place in the Team of the Tournament.
After making six appearances for the Sailors in the 2023/24 AFC Champions League campaign, he is looking forward to make his mark domestically for the club in the coming Singapore Premier League season.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 22 August 1988 (36)
Previous Clubs: Tanjong Pagar United (2011, 2012-2013), Home United (2012, 2018-2019), Geylang International (2014-2015), Warriors FC (2016-2017)
Well-known as a speed merchant, Hafiz forged himself a reputation as a dangerous and tricky winger in his younger days. He has since done well to transform himself into a steady and committed full-back, who is capable of putting in crunching tackles as well as whipping in dangerous crosses from his flank.
Now the senior statesman at the Sailors, Hafiz is still going strong and enjoys the opportunity to impart his knowledge to the younger ones at the club. Having played for the club 91 times between 2020 to 2023, the veteran is now close to becoming the first player to make a century of appearances for the Sailors.
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Nationality: Canadian
DOB/Age: 29 October 2004 (19)
Previous Clubs: ANZA Singapore
One of the youngest players in the squad, Madison only turns 19 this October, but already displays an air of maturity and assurance every time she is on the pitch. She played an influential role in the Sailors’ 2022 WPL title-winning season, starring with her forceful runs from midfield and scored six goals to finish as the team’s third highest-scorer.
The Canadian who has resided in Singapore her whole life, started playing the game at the age of five and went on to represent ANZA for a number of years.
A shrewd midfield operator who excels in both defensive duties and attacking responsibilities, Madison is looking to further hone her skills as she looks to achieve her aim of receiving a scholarship to play Division 1 football in a US university in the near future.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 23 April 1992 (31)
Previous Clubs: Home United, Woodlands Wellington
A bit of a sports fanatic who dallied with badminton and track and field, Hui Xin gave football a go with friends when in primary school and was hooked by the camaraderie and team dynamics of football.
The sport took her on a journey of highs and lows that featured a Direct Schools Admission (DSA) entry into Victoria Junior College, stints with Home United – the previous iteration of the Lion City Sailors – and Woodlands Wellington.
A midfield enforcer who possesses superb playmaking abilities, Hui Xin is a real leader in this young Sailors side and her years of experience comes in handy to help guide the rising talents of the Singapore women’s game.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 16 December 1998 (26)
Previous Clubs: Young Lions (2015-2018), Home United (2019), Young Lions (2020-2021)
An elegant midfield playmaker who always seems to have an extra yard of space on the ball and has the vision to produce defence-splitting passes, Hami has long been viewed as one of the most accomplished local midfielders since making his professional debut in 2016.
Only turning 25 this year, he already has more than 150 professional club appearances under his belt and is now going into his ninth season in the Singapore Premier League.
Hami enjoyed an excellent 2019 season with Home United – the former iteration of the Sailors – scoring the decisive penalty to help the club win the Community Shield, and also netting a long-range scorcher on his AFC Cup debut. Hami has since kicked on to be a regular in the Singapore national team and is already a lynchpin in the Sailors’ engine room.
Nationality: Singaporean
DOB/Age: 14 July 1994 (30)
Previous Clubs: Young Lions (2012-2015), Hougang United (2016-2017, 2019-2020), Home United (2017-2018), Kedah Darul Aman (2021)
Anu is one of the finest defensive midfielders in the country, adding some much-needed steel to the Sailors engine room. He joined the Sailors in 2022 after a good season north of the Causeway with Kedah Darul Aman, where he was a key member of the squad that helped the club finish second in the Malaysia Super League behind the all-conquering Johor Darul Ta’zim.
Anu also previously helped Home United – the former iteration of the Sailors – to be crowned AFC Asean Zone champions in 2018. When required, the 2016 S.League (now Singapore Premier League) Young Player of the Year also has the ability to play in the heart of defence.
