Grilled sealed their final major transfer deal of the post-season, as want-away forward Jan Langeland left for Norway Division Three side Play(maker)Boys for a shade less than S$8 million. Langeland was reputedly unhappy that Cao Wai-Kin would be Martinsson's preferred partner next season, and tendered his intention to leave.

Grilled lost nearly S$4 million off his original transfer fee, which the accounting department shrugged off as inevitable. "Prices were crazy several seasons back, we paid what we had to." deputy chief accountant Took Ngiam Qin said. "We pegged Langeland for eight million dollars, and looking at his lukewarm form it was well done."

Unnamed sources pointed at Grilled's ballooning wage bill as another reason for cutting Langeland. "It's simple, they just can't afford any deadweight with their cash outflow," the source analysed. "Langeland was demanding S$60 000 a week, and with staple midfielders Shen and Au-Yong renegotiating their weekly wages to the region of S$200 000, it quickly adds up."

Took, when questioned, admitted that though details of player salaries were classified, the gross figure has probably exceeded S$1 million, a 25% increase over the S$800 000 which sustained Grilled through last season. "We'll have to brand ourselves as a long-term S-League stayer to attract enough sponsorship money to see us through," Took added.

Jan Langeland, with 38 goals and two sending-offs in a rocky Grilled career, kept his shirt number after his move to Play(maker)Boys. "I'm divided on the all-pink coloured strip," Jan commented, "but it's really great to be back in Norway. I'm entering my best years as a professional and they're going to be spent here."

Liverpool GBG, a Swedish Division Four side, came in second in the bidding for Langeland, the additional levies on non-Swede footballers believed to have influenced their decision not to press their bid.

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