NorthEast United FC have confirmed the signing of Dutch centre-back Kai Heerings as their latest recruit for Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2019-20. The 29-year-old becomes the latest foreigner in the club's roster for the upcoming campaign. NorthEast have already retained Federico Gallego, Mislav Komorski and Jose Leudo from last season, and signed strikers Maximiliano Barreiro and Martin Chaves.

Heerings spent his youth honing his skills at the youth systems of Ajax and FC Utrecht and eventually signed his first professional contract with the latter back in 2011. He made 63 appearances in all competition for the Eredivisie side, before moving on.

In the next few years, Heerings plied his trade for Dutch clubs like to SC Cambuur-Leeuwarden and Helmond Sport.

After brief stints with Austrian club SKN St. Polten and Bundesliga side FC Homburg from 2016 to 2017, Heerings returned to his native country to play for second division side Fortuna Sittard. In his very first season with Sittard, Heerings played a major role in helping the team gain promotion to the Eredivisie and last term, represented them in the top division. Over the course of his career in the Netherlands, the defender managed to rake up 85 Eredivisie appearances under his belt. He also played in the UEFA Europa League Qualifying stages for Utrecht.

This will be the defender’s first stint outside Europe and NorthEast United fans will hope the Dutchman can establish himself as a mainstay in their backline for the upcoming campaign.