Former Jamshedpur FC winger Farukh Choudhary set to sign for Chennaiyin FC on free transfer | ISL 2023-24
Free-agent forward Farukh Choudhary, who spent the 2022-23 Indian Super League (ISL) season with Jamshedpur FC, is reportedly set to join Chennaiyin FC.
Sportskeeda understands that the winger has already landed in Chennai and that an official announcement could arrive soon. Choudhary was notably linked with a transfer to NorthEast United FC till late last month, but the move has seemingly broken down in recent days.
EXCL: @ChennaiyinFC are close to sealing their fourth signing of the summer!
It's a former #JFC player, who has been praised by incoming #CFC coach Owen Coyle previously
Sources suggest he has already landed in Chennai, official announcement soon!
#Transfers #IndianFootball #ISL
Choudhary, 26, began his senior career with Lonestar Kashmir FC before moving to Kerala Blasters FC in 2016. The Tuskers loaned him out to Mumbai City FC in December that year, and he returned to his parent club in May 2017.
Jamshedpur signed Farukh Choudhary during the draft process held before the start of the 2017-18 ISL season. He spent three years with the club before joining Mumbai City on a free transfer in 2020. However, he returned to the Red Miners on another Bosman move in January 2021.
Choudhary missed the 2021-22 ISL campaign due to injury but featured 18 times in the league and in two Hero Super Cup 2023 games last season. Overall, he has played 73 times for Jamshedpur, recording four goals and six assists.
The Chennaiyin FC-linked winger has also won 14 caps for India, scoring and assisting once apiece. Farukh Choudhary's last appearance for the Blue Tigers came in October 2021 when they beat Nepal 1-0 in a SAFF Championship group game.
Farukh Choudhary joins Chennaiyin FC team that has lacked continuity recently
Chennaiyin FC are in the midst of yet another summer of change. The Marina Machans have struggled for stability in recent years, a trend that has continued in 2023, too.
While they finished ISL 2022-23 outside the playoff spots, the club expressed their confidence in manager Thomas Brdaric. However, a poor Hero Super Cup 2023 display in which they failed to make it out of their group led to the end of Brdaric's tenure at the 'Marina Arena.'
Owen Coyle, a fan-favourite who enjoyed a successful stint at Chennaiyin FC between December 2019 and August 2020, is reportedly set to take over the reins. However, as has been the trend recently, the club have made signings before officially announcing who will don the manager's hat.
Farukh Choudhary will be their fourth signing of the summer. He will join fellow winger Sweden Fernandes, and defenders Ankit Mukherjee and Bijoy Chhetri as the club's newest acquisitions.
The Marina Machans have let go of Anirudh Thapa, Edwin Vanspaul and Prasanth Karuthadathkuni this summer. Additionally, last season's foreign core of Petar Sliskovic, Julius Duker, Nasser El-Khayati, Fallou Diagne, Vafa Hakhamaneshi and Kwame Karikari have all departed, too.