Former India U-17 star Aniket Bharti signs for Colombian club Santa Fe
Colombian giants Independiente Santa Fe have acquired the services of India youth star Aniket Bharti for the 2023-24 season, Sportskeeda has learnt from sources close to the development.
Santa Fe were the first ever champions of Colombia. They also won the 2015 Copa Sudamericana. Add to that the fact that they have been ranked in the top ten clubs in the world multiple times by IFFHS.
Bharti, a striker, is bound to boost the attacking reserves of Santa Fe. They compete in the Categoria Primera A, which is Colombia's premier football tournament and sits on top of the country's football league system.
Bharti, who has played for his country at the Under-17 level, is part of a handful of Indian players plying their trade outside their home nation.
Aniket's older brother Abneet, 25, is a defender. He also plies his trade outside the country. He was a part of Kerala Blasters FC during the 2019-20 season and now plays for the Czech club FK Varnsdorf.
Aniket has already spent time in Colombia with the lower-division club Orsomarso. During his time there, the forward was instrumental in them winning the Telepacific Cup, one of the most important tournaments in lower-level Colombian football.
When asked about Aniket Bharti's contribution to the club, José Gabriel Sangiovanni, owner of Orsomarso, said:
"Aniket is a very fast player. He positions himself well on the field and that is something very important whenever he is in front of goal (sic). In the games that he has played with us he has shown very good quality."
Aniket Bharti has previously played in Poland
Aniket Bharti has previously been a part of the Polish second-division side Znicz Pruszkow, whom he joined at the age of 13. He was promoted to the senior side at 17. He has also played for Lechia Gdansk in the past.
Aniket has officially joined Santa Fe's first-team training while continuing his involvement with the club's Under-20 side. The 20-year-old, who was born in Rome to Indian parents, may be loaned out to other clubs by Santa Fe owing to foreign quota restrictions.
If he is not, he will play a crucial role for Santa Fe in the upcoming season, who have made a quality international signing to add to their attacking depths. Aniket's awareness as well as his tall stature ensures that he gets into good positions more often than not.
Aniket follows in the footsteps of Ishan Pandita and superstar Sunil Chhetri, who have also played abroad in their youth. While Pandita has played for Spanish club Lorca, Chhetri has turned out for Kansas City Wizards and Sporting CP B in the past.
He is a future asset for the Indian national team, and the All India Football Federation (AIFF) must keep an eye out for Aniket Bharti's performances in Colombia.