Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) were on a shoe-string budget in the Premier League last season.
However, things will become more challenging as they will be running on an even smaller budget in 2020.
Coach Sulaiman Hussin revealed that the Premier League club will likely use only two foreign players next season due to budget issues.
UKM have decided not to extend the contracts of Nigeria’s Micheal Ijezie, Croatia’s Mateo Roskam, Iran’s Milad Zeneyedpour and Romania’s Alexander Tudose as the club are unable to meet their salary demands.
Roskam and Zeneyedpour shone last season with 36 goals between them. UKM’s best result last season was finishing runners-up in the Challenge Cup.
“We cannot afford their services for the new season. We will now look for quality imports based on our budget. I think we will hire only two foreigners for next season’s challenge.
“However, I have analysed the team’s strength, and I believe we will still be a competitive team.”
He said UKM have retained 80 per cent of last season’s squad.
“Those who were retained did well last season. Former internationals Abdul Manaf Mamat and Bobby Gonzales have offered their services but the management have yet to decide whether to offer them contracts,” he added.