ISL 2020-21: 5 biggest transfers of the current window so far
The off-season is a good time for Indian Super League clubs to prepare for the league season that usually begins in October every year. However, owing to the COVI9-19 pandemic, the ISL is likely to start in the latter half of November this year.
Many big businesses have suffered due to the global health crisis and have subsequently released employees from their payroll, with several companies even shutting down offices. The financial muscle of the big Indian Super League clubs, however, doesn't seem to have waned off as they continue to invest big in new players.
Some big names of world football are coming to India and are following in the footsteps of 2018-19 A-League top scorer Roy Krishna, who lifted the prestigious ISL trophy in his first season with ATK. Star names in Indian football are also changing their clubs, with long-time club captains Mandar Rao Dessai and Sandesh Jhingan leaving FC Goa and Kerala Blasters FC, respectively.
With that in mind, let's look at the five biggest transfers signed off in this transfer window so far.
#5 Subhasish Bose (ATK Mohun Bagan FC)
Subhasish Bose has signed for three-time champions and reigning holders ATK Mohun Bagan FC on a five-year contract that will keep him at the club till 2025.
The talented 25-year-old has been part of the ISL playoffs with two different teams in two consecutive seasons. In the 2017-18 season, he missed out on the ISL trophy by a whisker as Chennaiyin FC edged Bengaluru FC 3-2 in the final. Bose once again fell short the next season as Mumbai City FC were romped 5-2 by FC Goa in the semi-final. He saw his old club, Bengaluru FC, eventually winning the ISL title that season.
The left-back represented Mohun Bagan in 2017 and will be donning the same shirt colours in the upcoming season of the ISL. He will certainly be looking to finally lay his hands on the trophy and help ATK Mohun Bagan FC win their first title as the rechristened franchise.
#4 Nerijus Valskis (Jamshedpur FC)
Nerijus Valskis has followed his former head coach Owen Coyle from Chenniayin FC to Jamshedpur FC ahead of the 2020-21 season of the ISL.
The 2019-20 ISL Golden Boot winner scored 15 goals and contributed 6 assists in 20 matches. However, his side's run ended with a heartbreak in the final as his goal went in vain as ATK came out 3-1 victorious from the match.
A similar tactic was deployed by Eelco Schattorie when he moved from NorthEast United to Kerala Blasters. He took his top scorer and the league Golden Boot winner Bartholomew Ogbeche with him to the new club. It didn't end well for Schattorie as he got sacked by the season's end. However, Coyle can certainly put a good squad together with a couple of new signings in defence.
The 33-year-old will be helped out by new signing Jackichand Singh and the Spanish midfield trio of Aitor Monroy, Noe Acosta and Piti as he looks to retain his Golden Boot in the 2020-21 season.