Exclusive: FC Pune City likely to get new owners, move to Hyderabad

The franchise is also likely to change its name in keeping with their new home.

The news of FC Pune City relocating has been doing the rounds ever since the last season ended and FCPC are the latest in the ever-growing list of clubs that have shut shop in the central Maharashtra city. Although, they are not technically shutting down, the entire rebranding of the club and its relocation is tantamount to a kind of closure.

As per sources close to the developments in the Wadhawan Group, the current owners of FCPC and the Indian Super League, the club are going to hand over their right to play in the ISL to a new Telangana-based owner, who will then continue to rebrand the team and most likely name it Hyderabad City FC.

The new team is set to play at the Ganti Mohana Chandra Balayogi Athletic Stadium, located in the flourishing Gachibowli suburbs of Hyderabad, which is part of the Gachibowli Sports Complex, known to have hosted various national and International tournaments in kabaddi and badminton.

Though, slightly removed from Hyderabad city, the stadium is known to draw crowds and if well advertised, the chances of having housefull matches may be a reality for the club, which saw abysmal numbers at Pune's Balewadi Stadium, which was also situated outside the main city.

There is also news that the outfit's CEO Gaurav Modwel may retain the reins of the new franchise in the near future, as the new owners are said to be averse to risking new management who aren't experienced with the nitty-gritty of running an Indian football club. This would ensure a continuation of sorts at the helm and may translate to a smoother transition process.

Transfers and retentions

Pune City, however, are in the midst of a tricky storm of their own making and have been handed a two transfer window ban by the All India Football Federation due to their alleged misdealings with Nestor Cordillo and Chennai City FC. But, if sources are to be believed, this won't affect the new club.

FCPC will still serve out their ban by keeping the academy functional and the new club which will only inherit the right to play in the tournament, won't have to face the music for their predecessors' faults.

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Keeping this in mind, the Pune-based franchise will also be transferring their contracted players to Hyderabad and sources suggest that Brazilian, Marcelinho and Austrian Marko Stankovic will be retained by the new entity.

What the future holds for the new club, only time will tell!