Pelita Jaya’s Safee Sali will make his debut against Persib Bandung on March 7.
The 27-year-old signed a one-year deal for an undisclosed sum with the Indonesia Super League (ISL) outfit which was witnessed by the team's bosses and fans.
After the signing ceremony, Safee told the Indonesian press of his hopes to help Pelita make an impact in the second round of the ISL, which starts on March 7.
"It is a dream come true for me as I always wanted to play abroad. I chose Pelita over an offer from Vietnam and also rejected an opportunity to go on trial with a Japanese club because of the competitive nature of the league here," Safee told www.Tempointeraktif.com on Monday.
"The ISL will help me explore my true potential in the presence of foreign players. It is also important that the fans here accept me."
The former Selangor player also hopes that his tenure with Pelita will open new doors for him to play in other foreign leagues.
"My stint here will also help me market myself as the ISL has a strong following in Asia. I hope to one day play in the A-League in Australia," said Safee, who started his professional career with M-League side Kuala Lumpur.
Safee also received offers from ISL clubs Persib Bandung, Persiba Balikpapan and Persisam Samarinda but rejected them. "I have been following Pelita's progress for several years and apart from being a fan, I also like their policy of grooming young players," said Safee, who top-scored in the recent AFF Cup with five goals.
Pelita manager Lalu Mara Satriawangsa said that Safee's presence will definitely improve his team's fortunes in the ISL.
The West Java club currently sit bottom of the 15-team league with 10 points, but there are expectations that their fortunes will change for the better in the second round with Safee being one of their new signings.
Safee is expected to make his debut on March 7 when Pelita host Persib Bandung to kick off the second half of the ISL season.
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