ISL: Punjab FC set to sign Croatian midfielder Filip Mrzljak

Mrzljak last featured for Croatian top-flight club HNK Gorcia.

In a bid to strengthen their squad and learn from last season’s mistakes, Punjab FC are set to sign Croatian midfielder Filip Mrzljak as their new central defensive midfielder. The Dinamo Zagreb academy graduate last featured for HNK Gorica in the Croatian top-flight. 

The Croatian youth International is now set to join the Roundglass-owned outfit in the Indian Super League. “Punjab FC were looking for defensive midfielders and they are now set to sign Filip Mrzljak from a top division league in Europe,” a source informed Khel Now.

The midfielder who has had a successful career in Europe, playing for clubs in Croatia, Slovenia and Hungary, will bring a wealth of experience to the Punjab FC midfield. He will be the club’s first foreign acquisition after the Punjab-based outfit released every foreigner except Nepali international goalkeeper Kiran Limbu.

Last season under Staikos Vergetis, The Shers were forced to play Nikhil Prabhu out of position due to the lack of a recognized defensive midfielder, which often left the team exposed at the back. The signing of Filip Mrzljak will allow Prabhu to return to his natural centre-back position and provide the team with much-needed defensive solidity.

New head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis, who joined the club recently, will be relying on Mrzljak’s experience to shore up the team’s defence. Dilmperis, a seasoned coach with experience in Greece and Cyprus, has a reputation for building strong defensive units and will be looking to better the tally from the previous ISL season, where the club missed the playoffs by three points

This signing is part of a major overhaul at the club, which has seen 11 players and Greek coach Staikos Vergetis leave after the completion of their contracts. The team are looking to revamp their squad and start fresh under Dilmperis’ guidance.

Punjab FC have already announced four new signings for the upcoming season, including Ninthoi Meetei and Vinit Rai for the upcoming season, which were exclusively revealed by Khel Now. 

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