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Similar to Ryan Sessegnon, Ben Davis was awarded the Fulham scholarship after impressing in trials. He played nine matches for the Under-18s and scored one goal last season.
With the new season set to begin soon, Davis had just signed a professional contract with the new English Premier League side. It would have been considered a big step for a Singaporean and a rare opportunity for a South-East Asian to play in the top league of the world.
However, that opportunity has now been over masked by the fact that the youngster would have to return to Singapore in December to serve the nation. The 17-year-old applied to defer his national service enlistment but had his application rejected.
That decision has drawn the comments of many angry netizens who are unable to comprehend why Davis would not be able to defer his national service.
The Singaporean is not the only Asian who risk missing out on Premier League action in the upcoming season. Tottenham star, Son Heung-min, is also due to return to South Korea in order to serve his nation. Like Singapore, South Korea emphasizes on compulsory military service which lasts for two years.
Now, at the age of 26, Son is expected to miss a huge period of Premier League action in the near future. Mauricio Pochettino is said to be looking at the transfer market so as to find a suitable replacement for the forward.
In Singapore, authorities have been stepping up efforts to improve the standards. Just months ago, the S League was renamed Singapore Premier League, with new targets introduced to the public in hope of building a stronger national team. Only a handful of Singaporeans had played outside of Asia, but they all experienced largely unsuccessful and short-lived spells.
A few years ago, Adam Swandi, impressed a few European clubs including FC Metz, Atletico Madrid and also AFC Ajax. He ultimately chose to join the French club on a two-year contract. However, his career with the European side lasted only until the end of 2014.
It looks extremely difficult for Davis to have the chance to be the first Singaporean to play in the Premier League this season. Slaviša Jokanović has been looking to bring in more players into the club and surely, the club would be looking to avoid the relegation battle this season.
If Davis had the chance, it would not only be beneficial for his career but also the Singapore national team. His experience in playing for the Fulham youth team would definitely be able to help The Lions see some progress on the international stage. As of June 2018, the team was ranked 169 in the FIFA Rankings.
There is a long way before Singapore catches up with the Asian football powerhouses, namely Japan and South Korea. Seeing Davis all but miss the chance may mean that Singapore football fans would have to wait even longer before witnessing the first countryman to make an appearance in Premier League.
