Woodlands Wellington defender Precious Emuejeraye signed with Sriwijaya FC

(Photo: How Hwee Young, EPA)

On the heels of striker Noh Alam Shah moving from Tampines Rovers to Arema Malang, Woodlands Wellington defender Precious Emuejeraye signed with Sriwijaya FC on Wednesday.

“[Woodlands] knows about this signing and have agreed to release Precious to Sriwijaya after his contract ends on November,” said Onana Jules, the player’s agent, on Thursday.

The 26-year-old is the first Asian player to sign for Sriwijaya, and coach Rahmad Darmawan has no problem with waiting.

“It’s hard to find Asian players, so it’s worth the wait. The ISL will start on Oct. 11, so I think he won’t miss much and, as a professional, I’m sure he could easily blend in with his new teammates,” Rahmad said.

Details of the transfer were undisclosed, but Indonesian media reported the defender would earn about Rp 1.3 billion per year.

Emuejeraye initially came to Singapore in 2002 to play for now-defunct Jurong FC. He moved to Young Lions after Jurong folded, and three years later he transferred to Gombak United before moving to Woodlands in 2008.

Emuejeraye, born in Nigeria, took Singaporean citizenship in 2005 and made his national team debut on Jan. 26, 2006.

“I’ve been playing in the S-League for seven years, and I think now it’s the right time to try something new, he told state-run news agency Antara. “Sriwijaya is a big Indonesian club, and they have won the domestic league and cups, so playing here will be a great challenge for me.” Jakarta Globe