Former EPL player Jermaine Pennant has agreed terms with S League contenders Tampines Rovers making him the highest paid player in Singapore history. Speaking to members of the press, Pennant revealed he was looking at various apartments and his family will join him in February.
On his experience during the one week trial with Tampines, Pennant said: "Everything has been positive since I landed. I have enjoyed training with my Tampines team-mates and learning from the coach and chairman. You can expect some news either later today or tomorrow."
Pennant's last drawn salary was £25,000 (S$52,000) a week at English Championship side Wigan Athletic. He is taking a 70% pay cut to join Tampines putting his salary at $62,400 a month. The previous top paid S-league player was Hungary's Zsolt Bucs who was paid $21,500 a month with Home United.
When asked why he would take such a huge pay cut and play in a lesser league, Pennant shared: "The monetary hurdle has been crossed long ago. I knew before I flew here I would have to take a big pay cut, but you must look at the bigger picture.
If you do well for the S.League and Singapore football, you will be rewarded in different ways and, in the long run, it may be a no-percent pay cut. Furthermore, there are other things here in Singapore that I value much more than money." He added that Singapore's stability, safety, cleanliness and good education system were factors that attracted him.
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