As Grilled gear up for their do-but-probably-die season finale, their longer-term prospects were boosted by news of former academy gem Hariharan Prabhu's S$4 million arrival. The 24 year-old had done about all he could for Qatari club Two Tower's, playing a major role in their ascent from Division Four to Division Two, and would leave the emirate with few regrets.

Though heavily recruited by Indian Division Two side The Unstopabbles, Prabhu was only too eager to rejoin the Birds fold. Kokkina Liontaria (Greek Division Five), castellot (Spanish Division Six), Poly_Dyn (Romanian Division Six), Viking Power (English Division Five) and FC Trostlos (German Division Five) were reported to have been interested, but were never overly serious contenders.

Grilled head coach Djan Bacelar proclaimed Prabhu as being integral to the club's rebuilding plans. "It is no secret that our regulars are not getting any younger, and I foresee the next two seasons being transformative, in terms of personnel coming and leaving." the Brazilian said. "Prabhu along with Clark Won are two of the guys that should form the core of a new Grilled team."

Prabhu wasted little time in making a little detour through the Chicken Wings grounds, where he rubbed shoulders with some of the current youngsters. "It feels great to be back!" the outgoing playmaker quipped. "Place hasn't changed much since I was scrubbing the seniors' boots here."

Pundits by and large regarded the purchase as a solid if not particularly imaginative move by the Birds, citing Prabhu's lack of goal output with Two Tower's. "Stylistically, he should adjust pretty easily, but I don't know if Hariharan is the class of player that Grilled should be going for, if they intend to do well in the S-League." newspaper sports columnist Shaun Phang wrote.

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