5 ISL players I-League clubs should have signed
It’s barely been a month since Atletico de Kolkata emerged as champions of the Indian Super League and the first game of the I-League season is already around the corner with East Bengal and Aizawl FC set to meet each other on 7 January. With the I-League’s status as the country’s premier first division competition under threat, clubs old and new, seem to be making additional effort to sign the cream of the crop.
With established clubs like Dempo SC and Sporting Goa exiting the league, there are new entrants such as Minerva and Chennai City FC who will look to make their mark on the tournament.
With the possibility of being classified as the second division looming ahead, there has never been a greater need to up their game. While most Indian players who are part of the ISL play in the I-League as well, the owners of the league clubs would have done well to consider signing some of the foreign internationals who participated in the just concluded tournament.
Here’s a list of five ISL players I-League clubs should have signed:
#5 Nicolas Velez
Nicolas Velez was first introduced to the Indian public when he signed for ISL side Northeast United FC in 2015. The 26-year-old proved to be a prolific young forward as he scored five goals in his 14 appearances making him the highest goalscorer for the club that season. In fact, he scored on his debut as he came on in the 82nd minute even though NEU lost to Kerala Blasters that night.
Prior to his arrival in India, he was on contract with Singapore first division club Warriors FC from 2014. During his first season with the S-League club, the Argentine racked up a total of 21 goals in 26 games making him the second highest scorer in the league that campaign. Not only did he help his side win the league title but was named the tournament’s young player of the year.
Velez also signed for Croatian club Hajduk Split in 2016 but was released in June when the arrangement didn’t work out. After another stint at NorthEast United these past few months where he scored three goals, the forward is now a free agent and a good candidate for any of the I-league clubs in search of a frontman.