Weekly transfers roundup: Damjanovic to Chennaiyin, Sana stays at HFC

There were several noteworthy moves to keep track of from the previous week in Indian football.

The transfer market is open for business and the preseason is all set to begin for many Indian football clubs. It is full of new signings this time, along with contract renewals, departures and more. The clubs are busy in strengthening their squads before the new season of Indian football.

Similar to the previous weeks, football teams across the Indian Super League, I-League and Second Division League were very active. Some exciting moves and surprising signings were also there for observation. The way the transfer window ends up for teams will define their fortunes in the upcoming season. The season is won and lost considering the type of preparations teams do before it begins.

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That said, Khel Now gives readers a quick recap of the several transfers that the market saw during the previous week in Indian football.

Indian Super League

Odisha FC

The Juggernauts bid farewell to their Australian center-back Jacob Tratt. The defender spent one season with Odisha FC and failed to impress during his stay with the club. The 26-year-old has now joined Adelaide United in the A-League. Tratt has played in the A-League for the majority of his career and will look to find form there.

Odisha FC also completed the signing of Nikhil Raj from Kickstart FC. The 20-year-old arrives on a loan deal and will play the next season with the Juggernauts in the ISL.

“I am very excited to play in the Indian Super League. I expect to learn a lot of things there, and I know it’s a big opportunity for me. I am very excited to play for Odisha FC,” he said after signing for the club.

Chennaiyin FC

The Marina Machans made two positive signings in the previous week. They completed the signing of Deepak Devrani, who won the I-League with Gokulam Kerala in the 2020-21 season. The 28-year-old had previously signed for FC Pune City in the ISL, but did not make any appearance with them.

Chennaiyin FC also announced the arrival of Slavko Damjanovic. The Serbian defender is thought to be the replacement for Enes Sipovic and will make his Indian football debut with the club in the upcoming season. With vast experience of playing in different European leagues throughout his career, the left-footed defender has signed a one-year deal with the southerners. 

Kerala Blasters

The Kochi-based outfit are making plenty of changes to their team ahead of the next season. They recently bid farewell to their foreign star Facundo Pereyra. The attacking midfielder failed to make any lasting impact in his debut ISL season and now moves back to CA Estudiantes in Argentina.

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FC Goa

The Gaurs have announced the arrival of Kunal Kundaikar on a three-year deal. The 22-year-old arrives from Sporting Clube de Goa and will join up with the squad for preseason soon.

He helped Sporting to a Goa Pro League title last season and comes in with a lot of promise. Kunal is a self-proclaimed FC Goa fan as well and playing for them is a dream come true for him. 

Jamshedpur FC

The Men of Steel have permanently signed attacker Seiminlen Doungel. The winger was impressive for the club in the eight appearances he made during the 2020-21 season.

He has signed a contract which will keep him with Jamshedpur FC until 2024. “I want to create history with the club. I am glad to continue as I had the coach’s faith in me, and I want to play as much as I can to contribute to help the club achieve silverware,” he said.

Hyderabad FC

The Nizams have extended Chinglensana Singh’s contract until the end of the 2024-25 season.

“Knowing the positive atmosphere at the club, and admiration from the fans that enjoy and love football, it feels great to extend my contract at Hyderabad FC,” the defender said.

The defender was one of the most impressive performers for the Nizams in the previous season and also earned a national team call-up earlier in 2021. 

NorthEast United

The Highlanders are set to sign Laldanmawia Ralte. The former Hyderabad FC winger only made two appearances for the outfit in the 2020-21 season. He is set to sign a multi-year deal with the club.

The 28-year-old will be hoping that a change of clubs can revive his career in the forthcoming campaign.

I-League

Apart from clubs in the ISL, those in the I-League were also active in the Indian transfer market in the previous week.

Gokulam Kerala

The Malabarians are preparing well for the upcoming Indian Women’s League and the inaugural AFC Women’s Club Championship. Continuing their work in that direction, the club has brought in Indian women's team international Soumya Guguloth.

She featured for Kenkre FC in IWL 2019-20 and managed to score seven times during the campaign.

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TRAU FC

The I-League outfit saw one of their best players in Komron Tursunov depart for greener pastures. The striker has completed his move to Tajik top tier club FC Khujand. TRAU FC were quite reliant on the striker last season, who scored six goals for them in 13 appearances.

RoundGlass Punjab

The Punjab-based club have brought in Kean Lewis on a one-year deal. The former Bengaluru FC player featured for Sudeva Delhi FC in the previous campaign, scoring two goals and providing two assists.

Kean Lewis is a seasoned player who has featured in both the ISL and the I-League. He will add a lot of firepower in the attacking department for his new club. 

Mohammedan SC

The Black Panthers have completed the signing of Wayne Vaz ahead of the new season. The defender did not get enough chances with NorthEast United last season and has joined the Kolkata-based club in the I-League.

He has previously played 28 matches in the league and will look to revive his career with his new employers.

Churchill Brothers

The Red Machines have promoted forward Afdal VK to their senior team ahead of the upcoming season. The 25-year-old was a part of their reserves team that featured in the Goa Pro League in the 2020-21 season.

He seems to have impressed the club's management in the last campaign, as they have now handed him a new two-year deal.

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NEROCA FC

The Orange Brigade have announced the signings of three youngsters - Hrishikesh Namboothiri, Madan Ghogale and Ayush Singh. The club seems to be following a very different approach this season, following a bottom-placed finish in I-League 2020-21.

Among the trio, Hrishikesh is a product of German Football Academy while Ayush comes from Elite Tech Football Academy in Blackpool, United Kingdom.

Second Division League

Kerala United

The Malappuram-based club sprang a surprise on everyone by roping in Gabriel Lima Silva from Brazil. The 20-year-old defender previously featured for Shakhtar Donetsk's U-21 side.

This was the club's first overseas signing as they gear up for the I-League Qualifiers, and Khel Now understands that similar signings will follow.

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