Post-season transfer surge, I-League clubs build for 2016

IT HASN'T BEEN a week since the season got over and the transfer market is already buzzing in Indian football. Major I-League clubs are busy preparing for the next season either by extending contract with existing players or hitting up potential new signings. With the competitiveness in the league on the rise over the past few seasons, this frantic summer shopping spree from the get go indicates that the next season is going to see an even better contest for Indian supremacy.

It was Bengaluru FC who kicked off the transfer market showdown with two major announcements. After losing the I-League title at home to Mohun Bagan, the JSW-owned club is keen to make a statement of intent ahead of next season. To that effect, they are planning a pre-season tour of Japan and doing anything they can to hold onto the core of the team.

First thing they did was to raid the Shillong clubs for two quality strikers. Shillong Lajong's Seminlen Doungel and Royal Wahingdoh's North Korean star Kim Seng-yong both joined the Blues in moves that were to set the tone for the rest of the week's activities. The next move for the former champions was to secure the services of the bulk of their team from the recently concluded season. Eugeneson Lyngdoh, their player of the season, was given a two year contract extension. Joshua Walker was given a one year deal, with the option to extend for another year.

A host of young footballers like C K Vineeth, Rino Alto, Lalchhuanmawia Ralte, Shankar Sampingiraj, Udanta Singh, Lalthuammawia Ralte and Beikhokhei Beingaichho also committed their future to Bengaluru FC as they each signed new 3-year contracts. Such long term deals are rare in Indian football, especially when it comes to young footballers. That makes BFC's initiative to secure young players on the long term unique, as well as giving them a considerable edge over others in the years to come. It proves their commitment to the game and determination to be one of the top clubs in India for years to come.

Coach Ashley Westwood, too, was promptly given a contract extension.

While Mohun Bagan fans are still recovering from a dream victory on Sunday to claim the league title after 13 years. But the officials are already deep into negotiations to set up the squad for an extra challenging season ahead: having won the I-League, they are also playing in Asia. There is noticeable urge among the Mariners to hold on to this season's successful squad. So far they have managed to extend contracts with several of their Indian players, including both major goalkeepers Shilton Paul and Debjit Majumdar. Young players who did well for the first team this season, such as Pratik Chaudhuri, Aadarsh Tamang, Pritam Kotal, Souvik Chakraborty and Shouvik Ghosh, have all received contract extensions.

Meanwhile, at least three Mohun Bagan players, including Kingshuk Debnath, Balwant Singh and Shehnaz Singh, have signed up for ISL, reportedly with the consent of the club officials. The idea is to sign them on loan after the ISL season is over; but only if they are able to retain full fitness. Mohun Bagan have had issues with player fatigue before and do not wish to take any chances.

But the crucial part is to retain the star foreigners that have propelled them to I-League victory. Although it is clear that Mohun Bagan are not interested in keeping Pierre Boya. Boya recently spoke out against the way officials behaved with him during the victory parade and there are rumours he might join East Bengal.

Sony Norde, however, has recently said that in order to honour the love shown to him by Bagan fans, he cannot think of playing for East Bengal. That does not mean he has fully committed to continuing at Mohun Bagan, though. But if sources are to be believed, he is keen to stay, and the officials are desperate to keep him. A report in Times of India mentions an offer of 6.6 crore being on the table to secure his services for the next 3 seasons. That sum, if correct, could have far-reaching significance; Mohun Bagan are struggling financially with their main sponsorship money stuck in litigation and if they are ready to spend that much on a single player some major development might be on the cards.

It is also understood that the fan-favourite Japanese medio Katsumi Yusa has been offered a 2 year deal worth Rs 1.1 crore. Bello Rasaq, who scored the all-important goal at Kanteerava that secured the title for Mohun Bagan, has asked for 1 crore for a one year contract, but so far officials have offered him no more than 50 lakhs. 

With Pierre Boya gone, the search is on for a positive striker to replace him. 31 year old Liberian forward Edward Junior Wilson has come up as a potential target. Currently playing in Felda United FC at the Malaysia Super League, Wilson scored 19 goals in 14 appearances last season. He visited India when playing for Semen Padang in an AFC Cup encounter with East Bengal and put up an eye-catching performance. Other than Wilson, Mohun Bagan are also considering Shillong Lajong star striker Cornell Glen, who just finished the I-League season with the second highest number of goals behind Ranty Martins. Glen's current contract with Lajong expires this summer, making him a hot target for clubs around the country. In fact, East Bengal are supposedly determined to give their arch rivals some serious competition over landing him.

East Bengal themselves have made some small steps in the transfer market, securing Rahul Beke and Bikash Jairu from Mumbai FC and Salgaocar respectively. They have also made offers to Pronay Haldar and Narayan Das. The emphasis, once again, is on keeping the core of the team intact, then adding to it. The most crucial issue facing the Red and Golds right now is finding a suitable replacement for outgoing coach Eleco Schattorie. While there were rumours of Pune FC coach Karim Bencherifa being in talks for the position, presently it seems the race is between Subhash Bhowmick and Steven James Morgan. Both these coaches have had successful spells with East Bengal before and both are beloved by fans so it will be interesting to see who emerges as the Chosen One.

Meanwhile, Sporting Clube de Goa are trying to build on their relatively successful second half of the season that saw them narrowly avoid relegation at Dempo's expense. They have signed star striker Odafa Onyeka Okolie as well as Miguel Garcia for another year. Talks are reportedly on with Sandesh Jhingan to extend his loan from Kerala Blasters, while many players of the relegated Dempo Sports Club are also potential targets for the Flaming Oranjes. 

With so much activity in the transfer window it's hard to believe it's been only six days since the I-League season ended with a magical title decider at Kanteerava. That climactic finish to the title race has raised the stakes and all clubs are determine to put up a better show next season. To add to that, the Federation Cup has been scrapped, making I-League the only top division domestic tournament organized by AIFF, and the single reference point for national bragging rights. Not to mention now there are two, not one, AFC qualification spots to fight for.

The summer break is here, after which India's domestic football scene will be taken over by ISL. But somewhere in the background, clubs will be at work, to build the best team and put up the most fierce fight, because it's only the I-League that crowns the true Champion of India, and out here in the transfer market, the title race has already begun.