I-League clubs pounce on ISL’s Indian stars

Panaji: The better performing Indian players in the Indian Super League (ISL) should have no fears about their future as I-League clubs have made a beeline to procure their signatures.
Several free agents in the ISL will be left without a club at the end of their contract on Sunday, but those who have caught the eye are now busy preparing to win top honours for their club in India’s premier football competition.
Nowhere is the clamour for ISL players more evident than at Salgaocar FC, who will sign as many as seven new players and welcome eight of their players back to the fold.
According to sources, the former I-League champions have managed a coup of sorts by convincing the likes of Jackichand Singh, Seityasen Singh and Reagan Singh to sign on the dotted line till the end of the season. Jackichand and Seityasen were both part of last year’s Royal Wahingdoh squad that finished third in the I-League on debut and fetched big prices at the ISL auction early this year.
Salgaocar are also understood to have signed Gabriel Fernandes (Mumbai City FC) and striker Manandeep Singh (Kerala Blasters), while FC Goa’s Brazilian defender Luciano Sabrosa could complete the foreign quartet if he does not choose to don Mohun Bagan colours.
I-League champions Mohun Bagan have strengthened their side with the capture of FC Goa duo of Pronay Halder and Raju Gaekwad, while Lenny Rodrigues (Pune City) and Subhash Singh (Mumbai City) are also on their way to Kolkata.
East Bengal are not too far behind, snaring NorthEast United FC goalkeeper TP Rehenesh after missing out on the services of Atletico de Kolkata’s Amrinder Singh who has instead decided to join Bengaluru FC. The Bengaluru club have also invited Delhi Dynamos goalkeeper Subhashish Roy Chowdhury to check on his fitness.
Sanju Pradhan is likely to return to East Bengal, and should there be no last-minut glitch, the Kolkata side will also complete the signing of midfielders Sehnaj Singh (Delhi Dynamos) and Brandon Fernandes (Mumbai City).
New entrants DSK Shivajians have agreed a deal with Anas Edhatodika and Subrata Paul. ATK midfielder Izumi Arata is also in touch with coach Derrick Pereira but the biggest signing for the newcomers could be the possible capture of FC Goa wingers Mandar Rao Desai and Romeo Fernandes, if Dempo Sports Club -- who they are contracted with -- agree on a release.
FC Pune City goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya and defender D Ravanan are both returning to Goa, this time with Sporting Clube de Goa. The club, though, has not given up on signing Sandesh Jhingan amidst talk that the Kerala Blasters defender is favouring a training stint abroad.
Mumbai FC, on the other hand, are waiting and watching. Known to pick less-expensive players, the Mumbai club could have a field day and may get to sign the likes of Mohammad Rafi, Denson Devadas and Syed Rahim Nabi, all of who will be available for a song.