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Football: Young Lions set to include foreign players for 2023 SPL season

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From left : Kan Kobayashi and Jun Kobayashi in action for Albirex Niigata during the title winning season in 2022.

(From left, in orange) Kan Kobayashi and Jun Kobayashi in action for Albirex Niigata during the title-winning season in 2022.

PHOTO: COURTESY OF LEO SHENGWEI

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SINGAPORE – For the first time since 2016, the Young Lions are set to field foreign players in their top-flight squad.

The Straits Times has learnt that Japanese footballers Jun Kobayashi and Kan Kobayashi – who were key figures in the Albirex Niigata side that

won the 2022 SPL title

but are not related – have been training with the Singapore Premier League side for the past week. Pending administrative clearances, they will be registered for the 2023 season, which is expected to kick off in March.

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