ISL 2021: Odisha FC sign Malaysia’s Liridon Krasniqi on loan
Indian Super League (ISL) club Odisha FC on Monday signed Malaysian international Liridon Krasniqi on loan. The Bhubaneswar-based club reached an agreement with Krasniqi’s club Darul Ta’zim FC over the loan deal for the upcoming eighth edition of the ISL.
After signing for the club, Krasniqi said:
"I hope it will be a great season ahead under head coach Kiko Ramirez. I can't wait to get started and meet my teammates at Odisha FC. We will try and bring joy for all the Odisha FC fans in the upcoming ISL tournament."
Odisha FC head coach Kiko Ramirez spoke on how Krasniqi's presence can bolster both the attack and the defense of the club.
"Liridon is going to give us character, attitude and intensity. He is a player with a high physical capacity and has good technique. He is a box-to-box midfielder who can help us both in attack and in defense and will give us the energy that the team needs to fight for the entire duration of 90 minutes."
Who is Odisha FC’s new signing Liridon Krasniqi?
Liridon Krasniqi started his career in Europe. The 29-year-old midfielder made his senior professional debut for FK Mlada Boleslav in the Czech Republic in 2011. He then signed for Turkish club Ankaraspor, following which he was loaned out to another Turkish club, Fethiyespor.
Krasniqi moved to Malaysia in 2015 after signing for Kedah Darul Aman FC. The youngster won the 2016 Malaysia Cup and the 2017 Malaysia FA Cup for Kedah before signing for Melaka United in 2019.
In the previous season, Krasniqi was roped in by current Malaysia Super League champions Johor Darul Ta'zim. He then went on to represent the Australian side Newcastle Jets in the A-League on loan in early 2021.
The Malaysian international boasts a unique achievement of playing for three national teams. He played for Albania’s U21 side and Kosovo’s senior team before making his debut for the Malaysian senior national squad earlier this year.