MYANMAR National League champions Shan United have reinforced their squad by signing a foreign fitness coach and a Japanese defender as part of their preparations for both domestic and international competitions in the 2025–2026 season, including the ongoing MNL League Cup.
The club has appointed 25-year-old Spanish fitness coach Ferran Fernandez, who is currently pursuing a postgraduate degree in Sports Science. Prior to this, he served as a fitness coach at a third-tier Spanish club.
Shan United has also added Japanese defender Yuki Izu to its lineup. Izu, who can play both centrally and wide, is the first of three planned foreign player signings for the new season. The club has already recruited three local players and is set to finalize more international additions.
In the 2025–2026 season, Shan United will participate in the MNL League Cup and the MNL Championship as domestic tournaments, while also competing internationally in the ASEAN Club Championship and the AFC Challenge League. Last season, the club won both domestic titles and achieved a historic run in the MNL, including a record sixth championship, five consecutive titles and four unbeaten seasons, with three of them back-to-back.
Club president U Khun Naung Myint Wai stated, “This season, we will be competing in two domestic and two international tournaments. Our ambition is to defend both domestic titles and improve our results in international competitions. The head coach and executive team are actively handling player signings and team preparations. Some key foreign players from last season were released to allow them more playing time elsewhere.
“We’ve brought in three new local players and three new foreign players, who will arrive during the League Cup period. We believe that with continued commitment from our players, who have always given their best wearing the Shan United badge, we can achieve even greater success and write new chapters in the club’s history”. — Ko Nyi Lay/KZL
