IMG-Reliance could ease United SC’s financial problems

CK Vineeth (No.13) is among the eight United SC players who could play in the IPL-style football tournament
Photo Credit: Rangdajied United Media

Although officially the deadlock between IMG-Reliance and I-League clubs remains, it seems that a solution is not far away as a couple of clubs are close to having a deal with AIFF’s commercial partners.

Mohammedan Sporting are looking to loan five IMG-R contracted players while cash-strapped United SC are set to give eight of their players for the newly-proposed tournament according to reports on Saturday.

While Mohammedan Sporting’s interests are completely related to on-field matters as their current squad lacks quality to even stay up in the I-League, United SC’s potential agreement with IMG-Reliance could ease their financial problems because if the deal goes through eight members of their squad will be paid by IMG-R during the period of the IPL-style football tournament.

Despite their best efforts, United SC are struggling to pay their players and coaching staff as they remain sponsorless. None of the other I-League clubs have provided any financial help despite previous public assurances from officials of some of the clubs while United Sports Club also haven’t had much support from the state government in Bengal.

At such a scenario, United SC are looking to take IMG-R’s helping hand which was offered to them months ago but the Kolkata club just like any of the other I-League teams was reluctant so as to not become an exception to the highly publicised deadlock.

Sportskeeda learnt that United SC’s Lalkamal Bhowmick, Deepak Mondal, Sangram Mukherjee, CK Vineeth and K Asif are some of the names who could be featuring in the tournament that is scheduled to take place in January-March 2014.

The salaries of those eight players during that period will be taken care of by IMG-R and that will be a huge relief for United SC, who even with this financial mess possess one of the most costliest players in Ranti Martins.

IMG-R’s deals with United SC and Mohammedan Sporting, who want to loan Syed Rahim Nabi, Ishfaq Ahmed, Mehrajuddin Waddo, Manish Bhargav and Luis Barreto, should get completed soon.

Whether it opens the door for other clubs to follow and resolve the issues with IMG-R remains to be seen but the Indian federation’s commercial and marketing partners will undoubtedly do a huge favour for United SC