ISL Transfers: Kerala Blasters retain Bartholomew Ogbeche and Sergio Cidoncha
ISL club Kerala Blasters are set to retain their captain Bartholomew Ogbeche and midfielder Sergio Cidoncha. The duo will join Tiri to give shape to their new-look foreign contingent.
Ogbeche started his career in ISL with NorthEast United FC two seasons back and scored 12 goals in 18 appearances. The erstwhile head coach, Eelco Schattorie, took him to Kerala Blasters along with him and despite suffering from injuries midway through the season, bettered his tally with 15 goals in 16 matches.
Sergio Cidoncha has been an influential midfielder for Kerala Blasters, having begun his career in ISL with Jamshedpur FC two seasons back. The Spaniard is the designated set-piece taker for them and finished the campaign with one goal and three assists in 13 matches. Having averaged 48.6 passes per game during the two seasons, he will be instrumental in pulling the strings from the midfield.
Kerala Blasters are on the verge of signing Mohun Bagan's I-League-winning manager Kibu Vicuna as their new head coach for the next edition of ISL, thus parting ways with Schattorie under whom the club finished in seventh spot.
Rumours are doing rounds that some Mohun Bagan players will accompany Vicuna to Kerala Blasters in the ISL. The two heavily linked names are Spaniards Fran Gonzalez and Joseba Beitia. Both have been instrumental in Mohun Bagan's dominating I-League campaign, with the former being second on the top goalscorers' list with 10 goals and three assists despite playing as a defensive midfielder.
Nongdamba Naorem will come back to don Kerala Blasters' jersey as his loan spell with the Mariners ends. Rohit Kumar (Hyderabad FC), Sandeep Singh (TRAU FC), Prabhsukhan Gill (Bengaluru FC), Albino Gomes (Odisha FC), Lalthathanga Khawlhring (NorthEast United FC), and Denechandra Meetei (TRAU FC) are some other Indian players who have reportedly penned deals with the southern ISL club.
After an injury-ravaged season, Kerala Blasters would want to forget this campaign and reach the playoffs in the seventh edition of ISL. And, continuing with the likes of Ogbeche and Cidoncha and bringing onboard a new manager who has tasted success in India might just be the perfect formula to achieve their goal.