ISL: 5 players who must be retained for next season
The Hero Indian Super League and Super Cup have ended and we saw Bengaluru FC lift their first ISL trophy and FC Goa, the ISL runners, claim a consolation title. It has been a remarkable campaign with plenty of players breaking through the starting lineup to establish themselves as the best in the league.
Ferran Corominas won the golden boot, having scored 16 times this campaign, whilst Bengaluru FC shot-stopper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu won the golden glove with seven clean sheets throughout the season.
It will be an interesting month for the recruitment teams, who will look to tie these players down to new contracts even as players are hopeful of finding a new adventure elsewhere. It will be a huge blow for the clubs if they struggle to extend the contracts of these star performers.
In this article, we shall look the five players who must be retained by the Indian Super League clubs for the next season.
#5 Modou Sougou (Mumbai City FC):
Moudou Sougou was primarily a winger, but he has been used as the main man up front by the Mumbai City manager Jorge Costa. The Senegalese International did not fail to impress by finding the back of the net on 12 occasions from 16 games this campaign, thereby making himself the top scorer for the Islanders and second highest scorer in the league along with Bartholomew Ogbeche and behind Ferran Corominas.
The 34-year-old has been one of the best players this season and was deadly in front of the goal. Mumbai City and Jorge Costa will be hoping to tie him down to a new contract after having a stupendous campaign. He is held with high esteem at Mumbai following those consistent displays.
Along with the prowess in front of the goal, Sougou also has breakneck pace and strength to hold the ball when required. Sougou was not able to register his name on the score sheet in both the legs of the Indian Super League Semifinals but he has proved his consistency throughout the league campaign.