Persela Recalls Dendy Sulistyawan to Restore Team's Local Identity

Lamongan, East Java (ANTARA) - The management of Persela Lamongan has brought home local footballer Dendy Sulistyawan as part of an effort to restore the team’s character based on homegrown players ahead of the 2026/2027 season. Persela Business Director Praditya Aditya said an agreement with Dendy has been reached and the player will be part of the Laskar Joko Tingkir squad next season. “Yes, alhamdulillah, Dendy has agreed and we have signed him for next season,” he said in Lamongan on Friday. According to Praditya, recruiting Dendy is not just about strengthening the team, but also about restoring Persela’s identity, which has long been known for its closeness to players originally from Lamongan. “The spirit or soul of the Persela team is its local players. That is why we want to restore the team’s character,” he said. Praditya believes local players have a strong emotional bond with the club, enabling them to bring greater fighting spirit when representing the pride of the Lamongan community. “Homegrown players have a high level of commitment to the club where they were born. We hope that spirit can inspire the other players,” he said. Dendy is a footballer born in Lamongan who has reached the highest level of national football. The 29-year-old has played for the Indonesian national team and has experience in Liga 1 with several clubs, including Bhayangkara FC when they won the competition in 2017. Praditya stressed that management aims to build a more competitive team next season with the target of returning to the top tier of national football, now called the Super League. He added that recruiting Dendy is part of a project prepared together with the Chairman of Askab PSSI Lamongan, Yunan Achmadi, to build the team framework from the start of the season. “Besides Dendy, we are still communicating and negotiating with several other local players. They are our local pride and professionally we will also fulfil their rights,” he said. Meanwhile, coach Bima Sakti said Persela’s character must be rebuilt as a team with high fighting spirit that never gives up. According to him, this character aligns with the philosophy of Indonesian football, which emphasises tenacious play, hard work, and a warrior mentality. “Persela’s character is not far from the philosophy of Indonesian football. This team must have a fighting spirit, work hard, and never give up. That is what we want to build for next season,” he said. In addition to recruiting new players, Persela is also evaluating the squad composition and making managerial improvements as part of preparations for the 2026/2027 season with the target of promotion to the Super League.