Jermaine Pennant signs for Singapore club Tampines Rovers

S-League organisers hope Pennant's presence will boost attendances

Former Arsenal and Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant has signed for Singapore side Tampines Rovers.

It is a one-year deal and media reports suggest it could be worth about Sg$40,000 (£19,500) a month, which would make him the highest-paid player in the S-League's 21-year history.

"I don't look at it as a lesser league, it's just another chapter in my career," said Pennant, 33.

He has been a free agent since a spell with Wigan last season.

The former England Under-21 international has also had spells with Stoke City, Birmingham City, Wolves, Spanish side Real Zaragoza and FC Pune City in India.

But, off the field, he has had a number of disciplinary issues and in 2005, while on loan from Arsenal at Birmingham, played wearing an electronic tag after being freed from jail for drink-driving.

Tampines chairman Krishna Ramachandra would not give details of his salary, telling reporters it was a "sexy" figure.

"The financial component [of the contract] is one not typical to what we traditionally pay our players," he said last week, before the deal had been finalised. "We've been fortunate that a couple of sponsors have stepped up to absorb the cost associated with the signing-on."