The sons of Singapore football legend Fandi Ahmad, Irfan and Ikhsan, could join English second-tier Championship side Leeds United for trials in March, according to reports from The Straits Times.
“I feel confident about showing what I’m capable of as a defender, which I feel I have made a smooth conversion to from a forward,” Irfan spoke to The Straits Times.
“I didn’t feel and look out of place in the AFC Cup games and international matches I’ve played in this year, and it’s a form of recognition when a top Thai team like Bangkok Glass are interested to sign me.
“But my dream is to play in Europe, and while I think I can match the European players, I’m not going to sit back and I will be working hard to improve my strength before we go.”
The obstacle for the siblings to ply their trade in England could be the strict work permit rules in England, the reports said.
The non-EU players who want to play for an English club have to come from one the top 50 national teams in the FIFA rankings and play a certain percentage of international games.
However, Singapore are standing at number 170 in the world rankings, and both Irfan and Ikhsan have had limited chance to compete in the international competitions.
Last month, it has been reported that Thai League 1 side Bangkok Glass had set their eyes on Irfan, but he revealed that he would consider the offer from Europe first.