Odisha FC set to sign former Indian Arrows starlet Nikhil Raj on loan

The 20-year-old had made nine appearances for the AIFF development side in the I-League.

Indian Super League (ISL) outfit Odisha FC are all set to sign youngster Nikhil Raj on a loan deal, Khel Now can confirm. The 20-year-old forward currently plies his trade for Bengaluru-based Kickstart FC. They recently played in the BDFA Super Division League 2020-21 season.

"Odisha FC are close to completing the signing of Nikhil Raj. As he is currently on a long-term contract with Kickstart FC, the Juggernauts will sign him on a loan move. Kickstart and Odisha have already agreed terms on the deal. Only the paperworks are remaining," a source close to the development informed Khel Now.

About Nikhil Raj

Hailing from Murphy Town, Bangalore, Karnataka - Nikhil Raj began his career with Kickstart FC as a means to support his widowed mother. His efforts first bore fruit in late 2018, when he, along with a teammate was selected to train with the U-19 squad of Esbjerg fB. Esbjerg is a Danish Superliga club and also the former employers of ATK Mohun Bagan's new signing Joni Kauko.

In January 2020, Nikhil joined Indian Arrows on a shot-term loan move that resulted in him featuring in the I-League. He made his debut for the Arrows on January 26, in a 2-0 defeat against Real Kashmir. The 20-year-old was a first-choice starter in all the nine league matches that he played in that season. Later, the outbreak of COVID-19 meant that I-League 20190-20 had to be cancelled. That, in turn, led to his return to Kickstart in May.

Although a forward primarily, Nikhil can also play as a midfielder. In the 2020-21 season, the versatile youngster featured in the BDFA Super Division League. He led his team to a fourth-place finish, behind the eventual champions FC Bengaluru United, Bengaluru FC Reserves and MEG FC.

Odisha FC's pre-season preparations

After finishing at the bottom of the table in ISL 2020-21, the Juggernauts are looking forward to perform better in the 2021-22 season. As a result, they have been very active in the transfer market so far in this summer.

Odisha FC roped in Spanish legend David Villa as their Global Football Ambassador. The former FIFA World Cup winner's agency 'DV7' is set to play a key role in their overseas signings.

The new arrivals in their domestic roster are Sebastian Thangmuansang, Sahil Panwar, Lalruatthara and Isaac Vanmalsawma. Following the sacking of former head coach Stuart Baxter, the club are also in the hunt for his replacement.

The impending signing of Nikhil Raj will boost options in attack for Odisha FC. It also proves that there are several talented youngsters playing in the lower division leagues in the country, who are deserving of a place in various ISL teams and waiting for their chances to impress.

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