AFTER last season’s Jamaica Premier League (JPL) football season the doors continue to swing open for local-bred players looking to ply their trade abroad, specifically in Asia.

Mount Pleasant FA striker Daniel Green and fellow Jamaican international Atapharoy Bygrave have just signed deals with Ho Chi Minh City FC of Vietnam, and football agent Kevin Cowan, who represents the players, said it is a promising move for both.

“The opportunity for Bygrave and Green is great because the Asian market is growing and has a lot of potential. The club is located in Ho Chi Minh, the largest city in Vietnam, and is the primary economic centre of all of Vietnam,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

The 25-year-old Green and Dunbeholden FC’s Bygrave, 28, had outstanding seasons for their respective clubs in the JPL, jointly topping the scoring charts with 13 goals.

The players are with their new club in Vietnam but while Bygrave is eligible to turn out for Ho Chi Minh City today, Green’s debut is delayed until his paperwork is finalised.

“The club has lost three games on the trot and is desperate for the players’ clearance to arrive from Jamaica before the next match on Sunday. As such, I’ve been in constant contact with the parties in Jamaica to try to push everything through,” explained the United States-based Cowan.

“For me personally, this is a big moment because these are my first dealings in the Asian market place and I’m excited at the long-term potential. Normally I’ve conducted transfers in Europe, and most recently I oversaw the transfer of Renaldo Cephas from Arnett Gardens to Shkupi FC of North Macedonia,” he noted.

Additionally, the agent told the Observer that Cavalier FC’s 20-year-old, left-sided defender Kenroy Campbell is another player on the radar of overseas scouts, with strong interest coming from Moldova.

“I just received an offer for one of my young clients, Kenroy Campbell. However, at this very moment I’ve not even officially discussed the offer with his local club.

“I’m sure by Monday I’ll have a meeting with the player and his club to discuss the opportunity and then we’ll work as best as we can to close the deal,” said Cowan.

The powerful Campbell, formerly of Rusea’s High, had a fine season for Cavalier and made a substitute appearance for Jamaica’s senior Reggae Boyz in last month’s Concacaf Nations League match away to Suriname which ended 1-1.

— Sanjay Myers