Tapping Up Terkel
Grilled snapped up latest teenage bright light
Terkel Borup of Denmark, who was highly recommended to the club by top-rated youth scout Ben Persson. Persson's report described Borup as "easily among the top few midfielders to turn professional in Denmark this season", and the board obviously agreed, authorizing a S$4.1 million swoop.
"Being good in attack and defence is just a prerequisite to be groomed as a future Grilled midfielder," youth midfield coach Hong Zhan-Ping noted. "Borup has these qualities, but he's also the creative sort, like Spirig and van Liere. He also has a mean free-kick, and is additionally a model leader. He was just too good to miss out on."
Borup was superb in the red and white stripes of Hvinningdal IF's U-17 side, and attracted the attentions of F.C. Merksem (Belgian Division 5), FC Buurman (Dutch Division 6) and Lena med skena BK (Swedish Division 7). Grilled had been keeping tabs on another Danish lad Uffe Løber, and German 18 year-old Frank Doppelfeldt, but all was forgotten when they heard that Borup was available.
The contract itself was sealed by video conference, another first, while Borup himself will fly in only next Thursday as he prepares to leave for neighbouring Holland. Alcántara has confirmed that he'll slot into the friendly against top Dutch side De Japie's in Gelderland, and then return to Singapore with the rest of the boys.