ISL: Top 10 all-time winter transfers

ISL has seen some successful winter transfers over the years.

The Indian Super League (ISL) is currently in the second half of the 2024-25 campaign and January is the time given for clubs to strengthen their squad. The winter transfer window is in effect, allowing any club in the division to buy or sell players until the end of January.

For the ISL, the winter transfer window only really came into effect from the 2017-18 season. From that point, this mid-season period has resulted in some very impressive signings in the long run.

While most clubs opt against making signings in the January window, some have been smart enough to make brilliant acquisitions in the winter that have benefitted their squad for the long term. Here we look at the 10 best winter transfers of all time in the ISL.

10. Hitesh Sharma to Hyderabad FC (2020)

Hitesh Sharma’s career was in a bit of disarray in his first few years in the ISL, as he struggled to impress for ATK. He made a bold decision to leave the club and instead join Hyderabad FC in the 2020 winter transfer window, something that transformed his career. Under the guidance of Manolo Marquez, Sharma became a highly energetic, mobile figure in midfield for the Nawabs.

He became renowned for his ability to cover a great distance, make key tackles in regaining possession and add that zing to Hyderabad FC’s midfield. Sharma played a prominent role in helping them win the 2021-22 ISL title and finish second in the 2022-23 season, with this switch giving him the lift he needed to excel in the top division.

9. Victor Mongil to ATK (2020)

With ATK desperately in need of defenders in the second half of the 2019-20 ISL season, they scouted and roped in Spanish defender Victor Mongil to their ranks. He proved to be quite the versatile asset for Antonio Habas’ side, being able to operate as a defensive midfielder alongside his natural centre-back role.

Mongil made nine appearances for ATK in the second half of the campaign, helping them keep three clean sheets and frustrating a lot of attacking players. His stint with the club was purely a half-season one, but it worked out well as he played a role in helping them win the 2019-20 ISL title.

8. Nikhil Poojary to Bengaluru FC (2024)

Nikhil Poojary decided to cut ties with Hyderabad FC midway into the 2023-24 ISL campaign because of the financial difficulties within the club. He was quickly snapped up by Bengaluru FC as a free agent in the 2024 winter transfer window, proving to be a real coup for the Blues.

Poojary has been the mainstay right-back for Bengaluru FC since he joined them, being a proactive figure in the wide areas and threatening with his crosses. He’s helped them keep five clean sheets in the 2024-25 ISL campaign and continues to be an adventurous player for them on the right side.

7. Sandesh Jhingan to Mohun Bagan (2022)

Sandesh Jhingan had a relatively memorable period as part of Mohun Bagan, spending two different stints with them. He initially left the team in 2021 to have a short stint at Croatian side Sibenik, but that didn’t really turn out that be that fruitful for him. Jhingan returned to Indian football in 2022, re-joining Mohun Bagan in the winter window.

He helped add steel to their backline, making nine appearances for them and helping the Kolkata side keep four clean sheets. He helped them finish third in the ISL league table but was not able to stop them from getting eliminated by Hyderabad FC in the ISL playoffs.

6. Liston Colaco to Hyderabad FC (2020)

Liston Colaco decided to take a bit of a risk in the 2020 winter transfer window by leaving FC Goa to join a struggling Hyderabad FC side instead. In the long run, it turned out to be a masterstroke. The speedy winger was able to transform the attacking style of the Nawabs, especially after the arrival of Manolo Marquez.

Colaco produced a string of impressive performances in the 2020-21 ISL season for Hyderabad FC, helping them take the fight to some of the ‘bigger’ teams in the division. Colaco scored four goals and had three assists in 23 matches for the Nawabs, with his impressive work in the 2020-21 season causing him to be signed by Mohun Bagan in 2021 for a (then) record transfer fee.

5. Pritam Kotal to ATK (2018)

After playing in the 2019 AFC Cup for India, Pritam Kotal made his return to ATK after they signed him from Delhi Dynamos. The versatile defender ended up being a part of the squad for six years, even captaining them for a prominent part of his stint. Kotal was able to keep his role in the team thanks to his defensive sturdiness and consistency.

In his first full season with ATK, he helped them win the ISL title. Later on, he had some memorable years as part of Mohun Bagan after they entered the competition. He lifted the 2022-23 ISL title with the Mariners, going on to make over 80 appearances for them before leaving in 2023.

4. Joni Kauko to Mohun Bagan (2024)

With the arrival of Antonio Habas as Mohun Bagan’s head coach in the second half of the 2023-24 ISL campaign, Joni Kauko was also brought back by the gaffer. Habas opted to deregister Hugo Boumous to bring in Kauko, who was coming from the back of a lengthy injury spell. Kauko, however, proved to be an excellent winter transfer addition for the Mariners and gave them the necessary shot-in-the-arm needed to get back into the ISL league shield race.

The Finland midfielder’s proactive nature in midfield helped them dominate games and he was that unpredictable threat for them in midfield. In 11 ISL league games, he scored a goal and provided four assists to help Mohun Bagan pip Mumbai City FC and win their first-ever ISL league shield championship.

3. Anwar Ali to FC Goa (2022)

Anwar Ali showed a lot of guts in battling against the All India Football Federation’s (AIFF) order forbidding him from playing competitive football in India due to his heart condition in 2021. He was able to prove his ability to play on and get that verdict changed and joined Delhi FC that year, before making the jump to the ISL in 2022. He was signed on loan by FC Goa in the 2022 winter transfer window, giving Ali the best platform possible to prove his quality at the top of the Indian football scene.

Despite only being in his early 20s, Ali played like a defender well beyond his years in the 2021-22 season. He helped FC Goa keep two clean sheets in 10 games, with his commanding nature in the backline and distribution ability impressing many. His breakthrough season in the ISL provided the platform for Ali to go on to become one of the biggest defensive assets in Indian Football, earning high-profile moves to Mohun Bagan and East Bengal.

2. Daniel Chima Chukwu to Jamshedpur FC (2022)

East Bengal had a lot of aspirations from Nigerian striker Daniel Chima Chukwu when they signed him in 2021. But the forward failed to make his mark for the Torchbearers and was offloaded to Jamshedpur in the 2022 winter transfer window.

Chukwu spectacularly made the Kolkata side lament his departure, as he fitted into Owen Coyle’s style perfectly to score seven goals in the second half of the 2021-22 ISL season and help his side win the ISL shield. Chukwu had a memorable three-year stint at Jamshedpur FC, being a bullish figure spearheading their line as well as scoring 21 goals and providing four assists in 55 appearances for the Men of Steel.

1. Lallianzuala Chhangte to Mumbai City (2022)

One of Mumbai City FC’s best-ever signings came on the deadline day of the 2022 January transfer window. At the very last minute of the window, they were able to sign Lallianzuala Chhangte on loan from Chennaiyin FC for the remainder of the season. He would go on to join them permanently as a free agent in the summer of 2022. Chhangte has gone on to become one of Indian football’s most potential attacking players in his time at Mumbai City.

He’s probably developed his skills to transform himself into a tormenting factor for the Islanders, being a menace in the wide areas and developing a ruthless streak to his style. Chhangte has won both the ISL league shield and ISL trophy during his time at Mumbai City, scoring 31 goals and providing 19 assists in 93 appearances for them so far.

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