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EXCLUSIVE: Jermaine Pennant shows off new home in Singapore, says why he pretends to sleep in the train

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He has been all over the local and international media after finalising a move to Singapore’s S.League club the Tampines Rovers last month.

And former Liverpool and Arsenal player, Jermaine Pennant, 33, has already vowed to bring the ‘excitement of the Premier League’ to Singapore’s football fans.

But first, he’s keen on settling into the Singapore life, with a new three-bedroom apartment located in the eastern part of the island.

“The house hunting was good, but it’s really expensive though,” Pennant said in an exclusive interview with Yahoo Singapore. He also shared pictures of his new home here.

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“But I can’t complain - where I live is great, with a nice pool and gym ‘lah’,” he said, using a colloquial term locals use at the end of some sentences. “There’s a meditation area, jacuzzi, fitness area (pictured above) - it’s got everything I need, really.”

“Tampines wants me to be close to the fans, and community, which is good,” he added.

Club sponsors Komoco Motors will also be providing Pennant with his own car, a Hyundai Veloster, for his stint in the city-state. He is currently the highest paid player in the S.League.

In professional transfers, players are ofter legally allowed to ask for a car and include housing support in their contract.

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But Pennant has taken the public transport here more than the average Premier League footballer in England, and as a result, is constantly being stopped for ‘selfies’ from fans.

“It’s other people wanting selfies with me. I pretend I’m asleep, but it doesn’t stop them (laughs). They still tap me and ask for a selfie,” he said, before admitting that Singapore’s public transport standards were impressive. Singapore's rail system is known as the Mass Rapid Transit, or MRT.

“I really like the MRT. It’s definitely a lot better than the Tube,” he joked, referring to London’s public transit system.

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Pennant, who was at Wigan last year, admitted that he is still in the process of settling in, and hasn’t been “properly out” yet.

However, he already has a favourite barber (above), an important part of a footballer’s grooming routine.

“I’ve not been out too much as I’m just finding my feet, but I’ve been to Orchard Road, and it’s like being back in London! And of course, I’ve been to Nandos here (a favourite eating spot among many English footballers). And I’m definitely going to visit Universal Studios because I’m a big kid,” he joked.

Lucky for him, he has been received well by his Tampines Rovers’ teammates and friends. “I’ve been surprised how good my teammates are in terms of their footballing abilities and how friendly everybody is here,” said Pennant.

Indeed, he has already acquainted himself with local lingo, even using Singlish on the pitch during training. “The boys laugh - they find it really funny that I say ‘lah’,” he said.

And when asked who his pick was to win the Premiership this year, Pennant declared, “Arsenal, followed by Man City!”