The Wellington Phoenix mid-fielder Sapreet Singh's move to German super club Bayern Munich has been confirmed.
Photo: BAYERN MUNICH
Singh will join the world's fourth largest football club immediately in a transfer deal reportedy worth between $750 thousand and $1 million.
Singh, 20, has signed for Bayern's youth side on a three year deal and will play in the third division of German football next season.
Singh has played 38 games for the Phoenix' first team, scoring nine goals across two seasons.
He joined the club's Academy in 2015 after coming through the club's Auckland based feeder club, Onehunga Sports where he joined at eight years old before moving to Wellington Phoenix at 16.
Phoenix General Manager David Dome said that the transfer of Singh to Bayern Munich was testament to the significant investment the club had made into the Academy and youth programmes.
"The owners of the club have invested many thousands of dollars into the club's Academy, and it has been a strategic priority for the club since 2011 when Welnix took over.
"We were the first of all the A-League clubs to set up a full Academy system....and the owners have persisted with the Academy and it has produced some fine footballers over the years, even if this generated little direct financial return," said Dome.
"If the pathway to professional football and potentially the very highest levels was not clear before, it is now.
"It is vital for a young players development that they can play quality football on a regular basis and in the New Zealand context only the Phoenix can provide the direct pathway from the academy level all the way to the professional game."