In the ongoing summer transfer window in Indian football, several Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) clubs are grabbing the headlines both with acquisition and release of players. This is the best time for the clubs to reflect on the season gone by and understand the areas which need improvement to progress to the next level ahead of the upcoming season.
Here we take a look at the major transfers which have been making all the headlines in the world of Hero ISL.
CLEITON SILVA TO BENGALURU FC
Bengaluru FC have bolstered their attack by signing Brazilian attacker Cleiton Silva on a one-year deal from Shanghai Shenxin, the China League One club. The winger, who can also function as a striker, is the all-time top-scorer in the Thai League 1. The 33-year-old versatile forward is the first foreign player in the Thai League to reach the 100-goal mark and has finished as the top-scorer in two seasons. Bengaluru struggled last year to find a goalscoring threat as Manuel Onwu and Kevin Frater didn’t quite click for the Blues. Since Miku’s departure, the team has struggled to find a like-for-like replacement and will be hoping Silva completes the puzzle for them.
KAMALJIT SINGH TO ODISHA FC
The Bhubaneswar-based club have been the busiest in the ongoing transfer window. Their strategy is quite apparent with heavy investment in young players who can be future stars of Indian football like Samuel Lalmuanpuia. Kamaljit also falls in the same category of players Odisha FC have been targeting as the custodian is 24 and has just started to find his feet in Indian football. He didn’t enjoy a particularly fruitful season with Hyderabad FC in the 2019-20 Hero ISL season, as he was on the wrong end of a few goals but his shot-stopping ability was there for everyone to witness. He will give good competition to Arshdeep Singh and Ravi Kumar (another new signing) for the number one spot.
ALBINO GOMES TO KERALA BLASTERS FC
Kerala Blasters struggled last season in finding a solid goalkeeper after T.P Rehenesh failed to nail down his position due to certain silly errors on the field. As a result, the Blasters have recently signed Albino Gomes from Odisha FC. The custodian failed to register a single appearance in the last campaign but would hope to make a mark in the upcoming season. The 26-year-old made his Hero ISL debut with Mumbai City FC in 2015 before joining Aizwal FC on loan for the 2016-17 I-League season. Albino kept an impressive eight clean sheets through the season and helped the club lift the title for the first time in I-League history. He was also a part of the India U-23 squad selected for the AFC U-23 Qualifiers in 2016 by former head coach of India, Stephen Constantine. In 2020-21, he would be looking to make a mark on Kerala’s new head coach, Kibu Vicuna.
THOIBA SINGH MOIRANGTHEM TO ODISHA FC
The most active club in the market, Odisha FC added another young midfielder to their ranks in the form of Thoiba Singh Moirangthem. The Manipur-born playmaker has signed a three-year contract with the club. He has featured in age-group competitions for India and spent the last two seasons with I-League club, Minerva Punjab FC. Last year, he became the youngest player to score in the AFC Cup after netting against Nepal’s Manang Marshyangdi in the competition. The 17-year-old has gotten substantial playtime in the I-League and in age-group football, and it’ll be interesting to see how the youngster will adapt to the Hero ISL. Stuart Baxter has been given enough reinforcement in the summer to begin his journey in Indian football and he would be looking to use his resources to their fullest potential.
In addition to these transfers, some key players have signed new contracts with their respective Hero ISL clubs. Roy Krishna has extended his stay in Indian football by signing a year’s extension with ATK-MB. Left-back Jessel Carneiro, who impressed one and all last season, has signed a three-year extension deal with Kerala Blasters FC. Lastly, workhorse Lenny Rodrigues has also signed an extension deal with FC Goa till 2022.
Read: Most Successful Head Coaches in Hero Indian Super League
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