Gokulam Kerala sign midfielder Vincy Barretto from FC Goa

The player has already joined his new teammates at the Kozhikode-based club.

I-League outfit Gokulam Kerala have completed the signing of Vincy Barretto from FC Goa, Khel Now can confirm. The player has already joined his new teammates at the Kozhikode-based club, who have started their pre-season training ahead of the upcoming I-League season.

"Gokulam Kerala FC signed Vincy Barretto. Previously, he was on trial with the club, but now the signing has also been done," a source close to the developments informed Khel Now. While Gokulam Kerala are yet to announce Barretto's signing, he has already been spotted in a photo that they recently published on social media. An announcement can hence be expected in the days to come.

A midfielder by trade, Vincy Barretto previously played for Dempo SC's U-18 side, before FC Goa signed him ahead of the 2017-18 season at just 17 years of age. He was immediately slotted into their development team, where he played for a few months. In January the following year, he was promoted to their reserves team, that played in the Goa Professional League (GPL) and the 2nd Division League.

In the 2018-19 season, the 20-year-old played an important role in the team, as they went on to lift the GPL title by winning 17 out of 22 matches. Till date, he has also made nine 2nd Division League appearances including two in the last season against FC Bengaluru United and FC Kerala.

Meanwhile, the club will be keen to improve on their sixth-place finish in the I-League last season, where they managed just six wins from 15 matches (four draws, five losses, 22 points). The Malabarians have already made a host of impressive signings so far this summer, having brought in the likes of Mohamed Awal, Saliou Guindo, Ajin Tom, Deepak Devrani, Mahip Adhikari and so on to bolster their setup.

In August, they also announced the appointment of Vincenzo Alberto Annese as their new head coach. The 35-year-old Italian who is also a UEFA Pro License holder has already arrived in India and joined the team.