Singapore vice-captain Hariss Harun will be plying his trade either at a Primeira Liga, Portugal club or in Japan as he is set to be loaned out for an year by his Malaysian club Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT).
Hariss played a crucial part in helping JDT win their third consecutive Malaysian Super League (MLS) title in 2016 and also was an important member of their AFC Cup 2016 campaign, in which they reached the semi-final of the tournament.
In a Facebook post, the Malaysian giants confirmed that the Singapore international, who has a two-year contract running until 2018, will be loaned out for an year. Head coach Mario Gomez said that the one-year-experience will improve Hariss' ability and that he will also be a "valuable asset" when he returns to the team.
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"Hariss Harun was a good player and pretty disciplined. We will send him to the Portuguese club in Japanese or loan for a year," Gomez was quoted as saying by the post.
"I am sure at his current age, his playing ability will improve if he's given a chance to play at a higher level. He is going to be a major asset to the club make will come back to play with the outside of the club. For Now, it is best for the club."
The Lions midfielder thanked Johor Crown Prince Tunku Ismail Ibrahim for helping him bag the opportunity of playing at a higher-level. According to The New Paper, Hariss was informed of the club's decision when he arrived on Monday for the pre-season training.
"For me, this is like a second calling. I still don't know which club I will be loaned to, except that it will be either Portugal or Japan," Harris said, as quoted by the news daily.
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"I am still waiting for more information. To be realistic, every year I get older, I feel like the chance (to play abroad in Europe) gets slimmer, but I never thought it was totally gone and still held onto that hope. And, by God's will, it has come and I really have to thank TMJ for giving me this opportunity."
Also, JDT's Argentine striker Jorge Pereyra Diaz, who has been a key member of the club since he joined in 2013, is set to be sold. Gomez, according to the post, said that decision to sell the 26-year-old was taken as the club decided to control its spending for the 2017 season.
"He [Diaz] wants to stay here, but we cannot afford the new salary requested and we need to control the club's spending," the coach added.
