A Pakistani Presence
After months of deafening silence in the transfer market, with the last signing of note being
Dimitri Simon late last year, Grilled revealed that they still have what it takes in the transfer market, landing ex-Pakistani U-20 centreback
Nawaz Talib for a bargain sum of S$1.2 million, and equally affordable $100k/week wages.
"A million bucks wouldn't have gotten you the signature of a potential Under 20 player in the old, heady days," Grilled coach
Luis Alcántara grinned, obviously pleased at the deal. "Talib helped his national U-20 team to draws against the likes of Japan, Iceland and South Africa, and won twelve caps in total, so he's by no means a passenger."
Talib began his career in then National Football League side Skyscream, and endured a short spell in Swiss club SpVgg Obfelden before moving to the famous Serbian club buljashi, where he earned his first callup. A S$3 million move to Danish Division Six side Goatzillaz followed, where Talib honed his considerable skills but failed to make the senior national team.
Goatzillaz eventually let him go to Sweden for S$2.8 million, where after a couple of seasons in the Swedish Fifth Division with Nosepower, he transferred to the S-League despite offers from Italian Serie A side Arezzo, twice Italian champions, and Austrian Division Six club FC Großklein.
Alcántara confirmed that Talib's arrival was to provide more options and competition for the Grilled backline, which has on occassion this season been forced to induct Kek-Tjiang as an emergency centreback. At 25 years of age, Talib will also provide a core to build around for many seasons, especially given the longevity of defenders.
Grilled were rumoured to have considered current El Salvadoran national team defender Macedonio Tellez, and also the ex-Brazillian U-20 representative Sílvio Reis, before putting their trust in Talib. Other names connected with Grilled were Paraguayan international César Villalba, Callista's local legend Han Lik-Tsun and the young tyro Zamri bin Ismail.
