Profile: Who is East Bengal's new signing Charalambos Kyriakou?

The defender is a Cyprus international.

East Bengal have completed the signing of Cypriot international Charalambos Kyriakou for the upcoming season. The flurry of signings comes as a breath of fresh air for the Red and Gold brigade fans. The 102-year-old club has a new investor in the form of Emami Group. A lot of effort has gone into building a competitive squad for the long season ahead.

Indian Super League clubs will play the Durand Cup 2022 which kicks off on the 16th of August. Under the tutelage of Stephen Constantine, East Bengal kicked off their training on 4th October in the East Bengal ground. Their latest signing, Kyriakou is a 32-year-old defender who has made 11 appearances for the Cyprus national team.

In this article, we take a look at who the player is and how he fits into Constantine's setup.

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Prior Experience

Born in Nicosia on 15th October 1989, Charalambos came through the youth ranks of local club Omonia Nicosia. He signed a contract with the club ahead of the 2008-09 season. Making his debut in a 1-0 win over Anorthosis in November 2010, he would go on to lift the Cypriot Championship the same season. He would also win the other silverware of his career in the Cypriot Cup and the Cyprus FA Shield in the next two seasons.

He established himself as a starter for his boyhood club from the 2013/14 season. His performances earned him the armband ahead of the 2014/15 campaign.

After plying his trade for a year for Ethnikos Achna, Kyriakou signed for AEL Limassol in 2016.

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Type of Player

Charalambos Kyriakou is a strong and able right-back. A versatile player, the 32-year-old is an excellent mover of the ball. He has been deployed in other roles like a left-back, a centre-back, or a wide midfielder in his long career.

The Cypriot international has also been impressive for his national side, earning call-ups to multiple camps. His height, technical ability, and tackling particularly stand out among his features as a defender.

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What does he bring to the team?

Stephen Constantine is known to be a pragmatic coach, capable of producing results even in the direst of circumstances. A player like Kyriakou will help his team remain solid. He will have someone who can bomb down the flanks while also doing dogged defending when required. His versatility to slot into other positions will also aid East Bengal.

It remains to be seen how Constantine chooses to utilize the Cypriot international. However, it is certain that the Red and Gold Army will benefit from having Charalambos in their ranks.

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