East Bengal extend contract of Wahengbam Angousana for two years
Midfielder Wahengbam Angousana has extended his contract with East Bengal for another two years, the club announced on Tuesday in an official press release. The 28-year-old made 16 appearances for the Red and Gold Brigade in the 2021-22 ISL season.
The versatile Manipuri midfielder has played across the pitch in multiple positions since starting out his professional career at Sagolband United.
Angousana then signed for Imphal-based club TRAU FC and helped them gain promotion into the I-League. In the I-League, the defensive midfielder represented TRAU FC in 17 matches and registered two assists.
Ahead of their first season in the Indian Super League, SC East Bengal roped in the Manipuri midfielder, in August 2020. Angousana has made 28 appearances for the Torchbearers in the last two seasons, providing three assists. However, the Kolkata giants have had two consecutive disappointing outings in the top-tier.
In the 2020-21 season, under head coach Robbie Fowler, the club finished ninth. This season, things went from bad to worse and the club had three personnel changes in the head coach position over the season. But the young midfielder has shown glimpses of his usual industrious self over the period.
East Bengal rebuilding amid search for an investor ahead of ISL season
On the administrative side of things, East Bengal are in an absolute fix. Their principal investor for the last two seasons, Shree Cement Ltd., pulled out and returned the sporting rights a few weeks back.
The Kolkata-based club are now in the hunt for a new investor ahead of the upcoming ISL season. Trouble has only been intesifiying as the club is also serving a transfer ban owing to non-payment of some of the player's salaries.
However, that hasn't stopped the Red and Gold Brigade from roping in players on pre-contracts.
At the end of April this year, the club announced the marquee signing of Ivan Gonzalez from FC Goa on a two-year contract. Mohammed Rakip has also, reportedly, joined the club on a pre-contract, according to Football Monk.
But more than anything else, the club will need to sort out the investor situation immediately to revert their focus to the action on field.