East Bengal want FC Goa’s Leo Moura as marquee player in I-League

Panaji: Brazilian midfielder Leo Moura is open to accepting an invitation from Indian clubs once his assignment with FC Goa comes to an end.
The FC Goa midfielder is among the more influential and decisive players in the Indian Super League (ISL) with five assists, and his admission that he can possibly extend his stay in India -- should there be an acceptable offer -- will please I-League clubs.
“Right now my focus is entirely on FC Goa and ISL. I want to be a champion in this league,” said Moura.
“If I get an invitation from any Indian club it will be a pleasure to play here but it will have to be discussed only after the conclusion of the ISL. Nothing before that,” said the Brazilian midfielder.
Moura’s admission will alert some of India’s biggest clubs who are strengthening themselves ahead of India’s premier tournament next year. One such club, it can be confirmed, is East Bengal who have trained their guns on the Brazilian and want to make him their marquee player in the I-League.
East Bengal already have three foreign players in their ranks with Ranti Martins, Bello Rasaq and Do Dong-hyun, and are looking to complete their foreign quota with the signing of Moura.
“If he qualifies as a marquee, then we will go all out to bring him here,” a source from East Bengal told TOI on Tuesday.
The definition of a marquee player is someone who has “represented his country in any of the continental championships like European Championship, Copa America, African Nations Cup, Asian Cup, or Fifa World Cup,” but the AIFF technical committee has in the past cleared players -- Bengaluru FC’s Josh Walker for example -- who did not fit the definition.
Moura’s only match for Brazil came in a friendly against Ireland in 2008 but the midfielder, who is enjoying his new role as central midfielder, has represented all four big clubs from Rio de Janeiro in the Brasiliero – Botafogo, Vasco da Gama, Fluminense and Flamengo, who he captained for a long time.