NorthEast United sign experienced defender Gurjinder Kumar

The 30-year-old captained Mohun Bagan to I-League title victory last season.

NorthEast United announced yet another signing on Saturday, this time that of experienced full-back Gurjinder Kumar. The 30-year-old was the skipper of the Mohun Bagan side which went on to lift the prestigious I-League title last year under Kibu Vicuna.

Gurjinder featured eight times for the Kolkata giants last season, out of which twice he came as a substitute. He was often a deputy to veteran defender Dhanachandra Singh and made good contributions when called up. The Punjab-born defender has prior experience of playing in the Indian Super League (ISL), where he was part of the now defunct FC Pune City in the year 2015. He made four appearances that season for the Stallions.

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The Tata Football Academy graduate has represented various teams in his career, including Pune FC, Salgaocar and Minerva Punjab. Kumar also made five appearances for the senior national team, including his debut against Azerbaijan in 2012.

Meanwhile, NorthEast United have roped in Gerard Nus at the helm for the upcoming season. The Highlanders hope to see a change in their fortunes after a disappointing 2019-20 campaign, where they finished in the penultimate position with just 14 points in 18 games. With Gurjinder Kumar in, NorthEast United will look to establish solidity at the back. The club have already brought in Benjamin Lambot and Dylan Fox to strengthen the backline and it will be interesting to see how they gel the upcoming season.

The seventh edition of the Indian Super League is scheduled to start on 20th November and it will be played behind closed doors as a precautionary measure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. NorthEast United will kick-start their campaign against heavyweights Mumbai City FC on 21st November at Tilak Maidan.