Top 5 ISL and I-League stars who are expected to leave next season
The 2018-19 season of the ISL and I-League saw some transfers which left the fans astounded. The previous I-League champions Minerva Punjab saw a mass exodus of talent with Kasim Aidara, Kamalpreet Singh, and Rakshit Dagar joining East Bengal and Chencho Gyeltshen penning the deal with Bengaluru FC.
Within the ISL, John Johnson and Manuel Lanzarote shifted their gears from Bengaluru and FC Goa respectively to ATK, while others like Robbie Keane and Henrique Sereno left the Indian shores. And, within the I-League, Willis Plaza and Khalid Aucho shifted their loyalty to Churchill Brothers from East Bengal whereas Henry Kisekka joined Mohun Bagan's ranks from Gokulam FC.
With another season coming to an end, expect some groundbreaking transfers to happen in the summer as the clubs go to an off-season. Here are the top 5 ISL and I-League stars who are expected to leave their respective clubs the next season.
#5 Jobby Justin (East Bengal FC)
East Bengal unearthed a gem the previous season when they scouted and successfully signed Jobby Justin from Kerala. The 25-year-old was playing for the Kerala State Electricity Board in the Kerala Premier League and Sevens football in his native state before the Red and Golds came calling.
In his first season under the tutelage of Khalid Jamil, Jobby managed to find the back of the net only twice in nine matches. But, when the mantle shifted to Alejandro Menendez's hands the next season, Jobby's striking form hit its peak. He scored nine goals in 17 appearances to finish as the highest Indian goalscorer in both ISL and I-League combined.
The sad news for East Bengal fans is that his contract is running over this season and, the big fish in the transfer market, ATK, have already splurged their money. The Quess management is trying their best to keep Jobby in their ranks but, only time will where his next adventure would be.