19 Jan 2016
Pennant signs for Singapore club

Jermaine Pennant signs for Singapore club Tampines Rovers

Former Arsenal and Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant has signed for Singapore side Tampines Rovers.

It is a one-year deal and media reports suggest it could be worth about Sg$40,000 (£19,500) a month, which would make him the highest-paid player in the S-League's 21-year history.

"I don't look at it as a lesser league, it's just another chapter in my career," said Pennant, 33.

He has been a free agent since a spell with Wigan last season.

The former England Under-21 international has also had spells with Stoke City, Birmingham, Wolves, Spanish side Real Zaragoza and FC Pune City in India.

But off the field, he has had a number of disciplinary issues and in 2005, while on loan from Arsenal at Birmingham, played wearing an electronic tag after being freed from jail for drink-driving.

Tampines chairman Krishna Ramachandra would not give details of his salary, telling reporters it was a "sexy" figure.

"The financial component [of the contract] is one not typical to what we traditionally pay our players," he said last week, before the deal had been finalised. "We've been fortunate that a couple of sponsors have stepped up to absorb the cost associated with the signing-on."