FROM SAMURAI BLUE TO THE RED OF SINGAPORE: KYOGA NAKAMURA'S QUEST TO BECOME A LION

Having gained permanent resident status earlier this year, Kyoga Nakamura is now working towards Singapore citizenship and has been invited to train with the Lions for their centralised training during this international window. Football Association of Singapore

When he was just a young prospect, Kyoga Nakamura already reached one of the pinnacles for a footballer of his age: representing his native Japan at the FIFA U-17 World Cup back in 2013.

Since then, his professional journey has taken him down quite an unconventional path.

In search of playing time that he was not getting at JEF United Chiba, Nakamura ventured on several loan spells in the third tier of Japanese football before taking a massive leap of faith in 2019 by moving to Singapore to join Albirex Niigata (S) -- who were then still a satellite team of the J1 League club of the same name.

After an impressive debut season in the Singapore Premier League, the deep-lying playmaker earned a move to BG Tampines Rovers and has not looked back since.

Now established as one of the league's best players -- illustrated by his four SPL Team of the Year inclusions -- Nakamura has found the stability and continuity that was missing in the earlier parts of his career in what is, quite literally, his second home.

Earlier this year, the 28-year-old became a Singaporean permanent resident along with his wife and young daughter.

The motivation to gain permanent residency status was purely his own -- based on how settled he feels in the country -- and not originally driven by sporting factors.

But the fact of the matter remains that it does mean he is one step closer to what might have seemed an improbable return to international football, albeit for a different nation.

On Monday, Nakamura was one of two players -- along with Cardiff City defender Perry Ng -- to join up with Singapore for their centralised training during the current international window for a "familiarisation stint", as the Lions build towards the end-of-year ASEAN Championship.

While permanent residents of Singapore usually have to wait two years before being eligible to apply for citizenship, the process could potentially be hastened by utilising the nation's Foreign Sports Talent scheme -- which facilitates naturalisation of talented individuals deemed good enough to represent the country at a high level.

Regardless of whether he is available in time for this year's ASEAN Championship, Nakamura is still relishing the experience as he looks to use this week to show he can be a handy addition to the Lions ranks.

- Gabriel Tan