JAKARTA—The Philippines’ sterling run in the Asean Football Federation Suzuki Cup has prompted leading Southeast Asian clubs to take notice of the country’s finest players.
Striker Phil Younghusband, midfielder Jason de Jong and defender Aly Borromeo have been approached by representatives of clubs in the Indonesian Super League with offers to play here.
The 23-year-old Younghusband, a former Chelsea youth team player who was elevated to the reserve team in 2005 and stayed there until May 2008, has also drawn interest from clubs in Singapore and Vietnam.
Before leaving the hotel here, Younghusband received a letter of interest from a football club in Jakarta.
Laid-back striker
Despite taking a long leave from competitive football, Younghusband dazzled as a laid-back striker in the tournament, scoring one of the two goals that stunned Vietnam, 2-0, in Hanoi.
The Filipino-British striker also scored twice in the qualifying tournament in Vientiane, Laos. He has scored 12 goals in 16 appearances for the country.
A defensive midfielder, the 20-year-old De Jong is still under contract with Veendam, a Dutch second division side.
The 6-foot-1 Borromeo is one of the anchors of a solid Philippine backline that gave up just three goals in five matches.
The Filipino skipper plays for Global Smartmatic in the United Football League back home.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Neil Etheridge is expected to move up the pecking order at English Premiere League side Fulham in January, when first-choice keeper Mark Schwarzer takes a leave from the club to play for Australia in the Asian Cup in Doha, Qatar.
“I’m really hoping I can start,” said the 20-year-old Etheridge.
