PETALING JAYA: Terengganu playmaker Nurillo Tukhtasinov has put an end to fears that he would be the next player to leave the club.
The Turtles have confirmed that the Uzbekistani midfielder would stay on.
There were concerns earlier that the 27-year-old Tukhtasinov could be snapped up by other clubs after the departure of Croatian midfielder Marin Pilj on Monday.
Tukhtasinov, whose contract will expire on Nov 30, revealed that he had received several offers but had decided to stay loyal to Terengganu for the remainder of this season and the next.
And now that his future with the club is secure, he intends to deliver more match-winning performances for the team.
‘’It’s always a great feeling to play in front of such passionate supporters who stand by us through thick and thin,’’ said Tukhtasinov.
“My goals are to continue improving my performance, help Terengganu achieve success in the league and contribute as much as I can.
“On a personal level, I aim to score more goals and also create more scoring chances for my teammates.”
Meanwhile, Pilj announced his departure from the club due to personal reasons, saying that he was unable to focus on the game due to the departure of Tomislav Steinbruckner.
“I submitted a request for a mutual contract termination due to personal issues, stating that I was unable to focus. It has been challenging for me to adapt to life in Asia as this is my first time playing outside of Europe,’’ he said.
“Initially, I was convinced to join the league by my fellow countrymen. However, since their departure, my mental state has worsened, leading to difficulties in maintaining a full commitment to training and matches.”
The club gave Pilj time and space to continue attending training sessions but it became clear that he could not meet the required level of commitment.
Recognising the negative impact on both the player and the team, the club decided to proceed with the mutual termination.
In addition to Pilj, former Terengganu player Matthew Steenvoorden also recently left the club to join a team in the Croatian League.
Steenvoorden, who struggled with injuries and performance, found it difficult to adapt and decided to return to his former club.
With the departure of Pilj and Steenvorden, Terengganu’s foreign cast has been depleted. Apart from Tukhtasinov, they still have Filipino international midfielder Manuel Ott, Nigerian strikers Ismaheel Akinade and Chijoike Nnabuike, El Salvadoran striker Nelson Bonilla and Montenegrin centreback Argzim Redzovic.
