Nur Muhammad Asis, central midfielder of Singapore U23 national team has become the first Singaporean to sign professional terms with a Portuguese top-flight club after moving from Estrela da Amadora.
Asis move Estrela on an initial one-year loan deal, running through June 2025, will primarily see Asis feature for both Estrela’s B and U23 squad, although he will be closely monitored by the senior team.
Asis came through the ranks of the Sailors after joining their academy in 2020 and has since made five Singapore Premier League appearances, while regularly featuring in the match-day squad of a star-studded team that won the title back in 2021.
Asis will be exposed to a creditable level of football even if he does not immed iately break into Estrela’s first team, with the reserves playing fourth-tier football while the U23s were champions of the top-level national youth league in the 2022/23 season.
The Sailors sent him on a series of trials in Portugal at the end of last year, which eventually led to negotiations with Estrela after he caught the eye of several local scouts.
“That is what I’ve been aiming for since I started kicking a ball, and it still feels surreal to be at a top Portuguese club,” said Asis.
“I’m really grateful to everyone who made this move possible, especially my coaches at the Sailors academy. They’ve made me a better player and are the reason I’m able to make this next step in my career. I’m really excited to wear the Estrela shirt and can’t wait to get started with the team.”
Sailors technical director Luka Lalić, who first crossed paths with Asis when he coached the latter as a seven-year-old, has backed his protégé to make an impact in Europe.
“Even when he was just seven or eight years old, he would often talk about his dream of playing in Europe one day,” Lalić recalled.
“After overcoming multiple challenges, including the passing of his father earlier this year, he’s now ready to showcase his talents on a larger stage. This opportunity comes as no surprise. His quality has always been clear. He just needs the right environment to advance his development, and Estrela is certainly an excellent place for that.”
While Asis is yet to win his first senior cap for Singapore, he has featured at the highest age-group level, having been part of the side that competed in the qualifiers for the most recent edition of the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2024.
Credit Photo : Estrela da Amadora
