ISL 2019/20: Five new signings to watch

The sixth season of the Indian Super League (ISL) will commence on October 20 with Kerala Blasters hosting ATK in Kochi. The fixture will kick-start Indian football's new season and will be followed by the I-League beginning on November 16.

ISL comes with notable additions this season. Hyderabad FC and Odisa FC have replaced Pune City and Delhi Dynamos, respectively. And most teams have been proactive in the transfer market. While some focussed on balancing their squads, others managed to add stellar names to the team list.

With less than ten days remaining for kick-off, pre-season sessions are coming to an end as well. But not before a few surprising results in the friendlies, with Bengaluru FC and Kerala Blasters falling prey to Gokulam Kerala and Real Kashmir, respectively.

#5 Asamoah Gyan - NorthEast United

Asamoah Gyan is, without doubt, one of the biggest signings of ISL this season. The Ghanaian player has proved his mettle in different parts of the world. Gyan made his professional career debut with Liberty Professionals in Ghana. He then went on to represent Udinese in Serie A, Sunderland in the Premier League and Al Ain FC in UAE.

NorthEast United signed the striker from Turkish club Kayserispor. Gyan will be a handy asset for the Guwahati-based club. Aged 33, he still has the capability to outshine defenders in ISL and his experience alone can be pivotal.

NorthEast's Croatian manager Robert Jarni will be hoping to have a plan that can make most of the striker's abilities, while Gyan will have a mammoth task of replicating Bartholomew Ogbeche's heroics from the previous season in the Highlanders' colours.

Gyan, Ghana's all-time leading goal scorer, will be supported by Maximiliano Barreiro and Panagiotis Triadis from the midfield. If Federico Gallego returns from injury later in the season, NorthEast United will have one of the best attacks in the league.