Kerala Blasters rope in Jamshedpur ace Mario Arques

The Spaniard was one of the best performers for the Men of Steel last season.

Kerala Blasters have enlisted the services of former Jamshedpur FC midfielder Mario Arques for the upcoming season. Arques signed a one-year deal with the Kochi-based club.

After a disappointing 2018-19 campaign in the Indian Super League (ISL), the southerners are vying to build a strong team this time around, after appointing Eelco Schattorie as the new head coach of the side.

One of the major problems with the Blasters was the midfield, where apart from Sahal Abdul Samad, other performers looked grim at times and failed to supply balls upfront or to break down opposition attacks. Arques, on the the other hand, was one of Jamshedpur's best players, as he scored three goals and provided two assists in 18 games.

The #6 also registered a 82.41% pass completion rate last season, which was one of the many attributes that was missing from the Blasters. Current Kerala Blasters boss Schattorie was one of the many admirers of the Spaniard and if all goes well, the 27-year-old could become an ace for the southerners under the tutlelage of the Dutch tactician.

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The Spanish midfielder is a product of the Villarreal CF academy and played in his home country of Spain for almost seven years, representing clubs like CD Alcoyano, Valencia B and Sporting de Gijon B. The 2018-19 season brought him to India, where he made a good impression in the ISL.

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Playing as a central midfielder, Arques not only demonstrated a knack for pulling the strings in matches from the middle of the park, but also raked in three goals and two assists. The Spaniard is known for his passing range, which allows the team to transition quickly during counter-attacks.

At Kerala, Arques will most likely partner promising youngster Sahal Abdul Samad in the centre of the park - a combination which is bound to excite Kerala fans.