Yushi Yamaya of Geylang International (Photo: Geylang International)
SINGAPORE, 2 FEBRUARY 2023 – A landmark collaboration agreement between Geylang International and City Football Group (CFG) was announced yesterday by the club.
The Singapore Premier League (SPL) side become the first Southeast Asian football club to partner with CFG, which owns Premier League champions Manchester City.
READ: 2023 SPL Transfer Centre
Geylang said: “The agreement is set to be an initial, highly targeted collaboration between both entities with the potential to evolve into a broader, more comprehensive strategic partnership in the future.”
The club added that the collaboration with help to further their development by allowing them to tap on CFG’s expertise. Founded in 2013, CFG is a holding company that administers football clubs and also owns New York City (Major League Soccer), Melbourne City (A-League), Yokohama F. Marinos (J1 League), Montevideo City Torque (Uruguayan Primera Divsion), Girona (La Liga), Lommel (Belgian First Division B), Troyes (Ligue 1) and Palermo (Serie B), among others.
The partnership has already reaped benefits – CFG’s Football Operations department helped Geylang to bring in striker Yushi Yamaya for the 2023 season, according to the club. The Japanese forward is a youth product of seven-time J1 champions Marinos and made his debut in 2019, before spending the next three seasons on loan with three different Japanese teams. The Kanagawa native, 22, made two brief appearances for Yokohama FC in 2022 as they finished second in J2 to earn promotion to J1.
