Five-time Malaysia Super League champions Johor Darul Takzim are leaving no stones unturned for the new season which will also see the Johor outfit making its debut in the AFC Champions League (ACL) next year.
The Southern Tigers have been drawn in Group E. Apart from JDT, who gained direct qualification to the ACL, the only other team is Korea’s Gyeongnam FC which made to group stage via playoff. The other opponents will also be decided via playoffs.
The five players identified by JDT as “key players” for the ACL are new signings defender Mauricio dos Santos Nascimento (Brazil), striker Aaron Niquez (Spain), local ace Safawi Rasid, Hariss Harun (Singapore) and Corbin Ong.
Club owner Major General Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, the Crown Prince of Johor, said in a Facebook posting said JDT is on the verge of signing another big foreign name to further strengthen the team for next season.
Winners of the Charity Shield this year, JDT has won the Malaysian Super League for a record fifth year running. Tunku Ismail also hailed JDT’s success thus far since 2013 – winning 15 trophies – including four trophies by teams from the JDT Academy this year.
The success of the teams from the JDT Academy is undoubtedly inspiring and commendable as JDT has one of the best, if not the best, football development programmes in the country. – BY RIZAL ABDULLAH
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