Singapore Premier League top scorer Tomoyuki Doi undecided over future amid interest from abroad

SINGAPORE – Tomoyuki Doi, the Singapore Premier League’s (SPL) runaway leading scorer, is a wanted man.

Plundering 44 goals in 29 Singapore Premier League (SPL) games for Geylang International has placed Doi firmly on the radar of clubs in the region, who are eager to prise the Eagles’ talisman away when his contract is up at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.

Brunei DPMM declared their intentions early on, stating on their website that they are eyeing the 27-year-old Japanese striker as the Wasps, twice SPL champions, bid to return to the Malaysia Super League (MSL) next season.

Reports in Malaysia have also linked Doi with MSL runners-up Selangor FC. The Red Giants, who are led by Japanese coach Katsuhito Kinoshi, will be looking to challenge Johor Darul Takzim’s domestic dominance and better their showing in the Asian Champions League Two after a narrow group-stage exit this season.

While Doi admitted that he had received interest from other clubs, he remained tight-lipped about his suitors.

“I cannot say what will happen in the future, because we never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. What I can do is to focus and shape my skills as a striker every day,” said Doi, who underlined his predatory instincts on May 4 when he

scored a double to help Geylang beat Lion City Sailors 3-2

, ending the SPL leaders’ 16-game unbeaten run in the league.

He said that he has not decided on anything yet, adding: “It depends on the situation. I have to focus on playing with the team first, and after the season ends, we will see.”

Having signed for Geylang in 2024, Doi had stated at the start of the season that he “wants to be a legend” in the SPL.

In March 2025, he fulfilled that pledge as he eclipsed the record for most SPL strikes in a season set by Mirko Grabovac, who had 38 goals in a 33-game campaign for Singapore Armed Forces FC in 2001.

Thanks to his 44-goal tally, Geylang are on course to finish in the top three for the first time since 2003, when they were second. Doi, who has 16 more goals than his closest challenger, the Sailors’ Lennart Thy, is also a shoo-in for his second SPL Golden Boot award.

Geylang coach Noor Ali is pleased to see Doi, who also scored six goals in four Singapore Cup games, getting the recognition that he deserves.

“I’m happy for him. Of course, you definitely want to keep this kind of striker. There’s not only Brunei DPMM (interested in him). There’s a lot of clubs chasing after him. It’s nice to see if the players progress and get better contracts, and I’m happy for them,” he said.

But he acknowledged the mammoth task of filling the void that Doi’s potential departure might leave.

“Definitely (tough to find a replacement). You have a striker scoring nearly 50 goals per season, and I think that’s something that is going to be very, very hard for us to fill. But let’s see, there are still three more games to go this season, maybe we can keep Doi for next season,” he added.

Doi rose to prominence when he notched 19 goals for Hougang United in the 2021 season, a year after a league-winning campaign with Albirex Niigata. His exploits saw him winning the 2021 Player of the Year and Golden Boot awards.

He returned to his home country in 2022, turning out 18 times for then J3 League outfit Fujieda MYFC, scoring four goals.

In 2023, he played eight matches for Albanian first-tier side FK Bylis before returning to the SPL with Geylang the following year.

Meanwhile, on May 7, Kodai Tanaka’s goal gave fourth-placed Balestier Khalsa a 1-0 win over second-placed BG Tampines Rovers at Jalan Besar Stadium.

The Stags’ loss meant the Sailors, with an eight-point lead, need two points from their remaining three matches to confirm their second league title. Balestier stayed in the race to finish third but will need to overcome an eight-point deficit to Geylang.

In the other game at Jurong East Stadium, Tanjong Pagar United will almost certainly end last after drawing 1-1 with the Young Lions.