SINGAPORE: Thai League 1 club BG Pathum United announced earlier this week that they’ve secured the services of Singapore international player Ilhan Fandi.
The 21-year-old is set to join forces with his elder brother Ikhsan Fandi, who’s been terrorising the opponents’ defence since his arrival at the club in late 2021.
The Thai Premier League club announced the arrival of Ilhan in a Facebook posting on Tuesday, July 30.
“BG Pathum United is delighted to officially announce the signing of Ilhan Fandi Ahmad, 21, as the Rabbits continue strengthening the squad in preparations for the upcoming 2024/25 season,” mentioned the 2023-2024 Thai League Cup winners.
Ilhan, who made a promising move to Belgian second-tier club KMSK Deinze in December 2022, has been navigating a brief period of uncertainty since his contract with the European outfit expired earlier this year.
His time in Belgian was limited, restricted to only one senior team appearance. Ilhan made his debut with Deinze on Jan 19, 2024, coming on as a substitute for teammate Lennart Mertens in their 4–0 league win over Lierse.
Prior to his move to Belgium, Ilhan faced a daunting setback when he suffered a devastating ACL injury during an ASEAN Football Federation Mitsubishi Electric Cup match against Vietnam at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Dec 30, 2022.
He faced a crucial turning point in his recovery journey, undergoing knee surgery just a month later, followed by a gruelling nine-month rehabilitation process.
Ilhan will be reunited with his brother Ikhsan, who signed a three-year contract extension with the Thai club. During the 2023 / 2024 season, Ikhsan made 24 appearances and scored 11 goals for Pathum in all competitions.
“My mission with BG is still incomplete. Thank you for the faith and this opportunity to complete my mission. My hunt for goals is still on, and the hunger for victory is stronger than ever,” expressed Ikhsan in a video posted by the club to announce his contract extension in June.
In a bittersweet twist, while Ikhsan’s stellar performances earned him a well-deserved contract extension with Pathum, his eldest brother Irfan Fandi faced an unfortunate conclusion to his tenure as he ended his stay with the team.
Irfan’s journey with the Thai club began in 2018 when he inked a deal anticipating the 2019 season in Thai League 2.
In his debut campaign, he played a pivotal role in Pathum’s defence as they won the Thai League 2 title and gained promotion to the top-tier league. The following season, the club lifted the Thai League 1 championship, conceding only 13 goals during their entire 24 league matches.
Although Irfan’s journey with Pathum has come to a close, his thirst for adventure and competition in Thailand remains unquenched. The centre-back will continue to showcase his skills in the Thai League 1, having secured a move to Port FC.
“It is always an honour to come to a new team, and I can’t wait to start. My time at BG was amazing; I had a good five years there. Two years where I had injuries. I feel like I couldn’t give back to the team, so I think that is why we had to move on from the team.
But I had a good time there; they welcomed me with open arms, and I am happy they gave me a chance to prove myself,” Irfan mentioned in an interview with his new club, Port.
Port finished the previous campaign in the third spot with an impressive 57 points, just three points clear of Ikhsan’s former club, Pathum.
As an added incentive, Port has earned them a coveted spot in the AFC Champions League Two group stage, providing Irfan with a tantalising prospect of testing his mettle against the continent’s elite.
Both Pathum and Port will kick off their 2024 / 2025 Thai League 1 campaign on Aug 10. Pathum will be up against Sukhothai FC, while Port will face newly-promoted side Rayong FC.