The Penang Panthers will be featuring Nigerian striker Ranti Martins Soleye, 29, and South Korean midfielder Jeong Seok-Min in their remaining fixtures for this MSL season.
Soleye boasts a spectacular 12-year career, most of it in Bengal, India. Playing for East Bengal and United SC, scoring 214 goals in 241 matches, Soleye won the Golden Boot on seven occasions in the Indian League.
Previously, he played for teams in Ghana.
As for Jeong, this would be his first professional appearance outside his home base of South Korea, where he spent five years playing for Daejeon Citizen and Jeonnam Dragons.
The Panthers are currently at the bottom of the 12-team MSL, having picked up only seven points from their first 12 matches.
Local football pundits say the Panthers have a slim chance of staying up with only 10 matches to go this season.
The team’s chief executive officer Bojan Hodak said PFA went with the two imported players because of their impressive track record.
“We are also signing in a local player to boost the team’s performance,” he said in a press conference.
Soleye and Jeong will replace outgoing 26-year-old Australian Brent Griffiths, who had asked to be released, together with Nigerian Osas Saha, 29, who was reportedly axed.
Saha earned the ire of Panthers fans following his dismal performance this season.
The two new imports are expected to line up against Terengganu’s T-Team this Saturday.
Questioned by reporters for his thoughts on the island state, Soleye acknowledged Penang’s reputation for good food, saying: “Looking forward to play here, and also looking forward to have some Indian food!”