ISL 2018: Ex-FC Goa defender Narayan Das joins Delhi Dynamos on 2-year-deal
What's the story?
Indian national team left back Narayan Das has decided to make the switch form FC Goa to Delhi Dynamos after a disappointing season for the Lions in 2017/18.
In case you didn't know...
Delhi Dynamos have had a season to forget, after they finished seventh in the ISL and were knocked out by I-League relegation candidates Churchill Brothers in the qualifiers. Since then, their manager Miguel Angel Portugal has gone on to leave the club at the end of the season, to take over at Spanish club Granada as their interim manager.
The heart of the matter
Narayan Das is one of the best fullbacks in India at the present moment, and is a regular in the national team squad under head coach Stephen Constantine. The 24-year-old from Jharkhand had started off his career at the now-defunct Paillan Arrows, and has gone on to play for top Indian clubs like Dempo, FC Goa, East Bengal and FC Pune City.
While he played the first two seasons for FC Goa, Das made the move to East Bengal, and then to FC Pune City in the 2016/17 season, before making the move back to Goa. Now, the left-back is all set to make a move to the capital city, after having signed a two-year contract with Delhi Dynamos, that will see him stay at the club till the 2019/20 season.
Sportskeeda had earlier reported about Das' transfer to Delhi after his contract with FC Goa ran out at the end of the 2017/18 season.
What's next?
With this move, Narayan Das will now join Pritam Kotal, who has been a regular in the national team with the former. The two wingbacks have terrorised opposition teams over the last couple of years, and are set to do so yet again, as the new season inches closer.
However, Das' spot as a regular in the national team starting XI is under threat, with left-backs like Subhasish Bose and Jerry Lalrinzuala putting in exemplary performances in the ISL. Incidentally, it was Subhasish, who got the not ahead of Das for India's starting XIs during the recently concluded Intercontinental Cup.
Narayan Das has immense competition with Subhasish Bose and Jerry Lalrinzuala for a spot in the national team starting XI as the AFC Asian Cup gets nearer. Who do you think should start for India? Let us know in the comments section.