Hero Indian Super League (ISL) clubs have started to trade players ahead of the upcoming 2022–23 season keeping in mind a longer domestic season.

This means clubs will look to bolster their squads to acquire a competitive edge in upcoming tournament over the forthcoming prolonged season. The future weeks are likely to be jam-packed with thrilling outgoings and incomings of players.

Hero ISL experts Paul Masefield, Darren Caldeira, and Khuri Irani Khan discussed all the new signings done by clubs, what two foreign defensive signings could mean for Sandesh Jhingan's place in the ATK Mohun Banag line-up and a lot more on the Let’s Football Live Twitter Space.

Listen to the full Twitter Space podcast below: 

Here are some of the excerpts from the discussion:

Sandesh Jhingan's place in the playing XI is in danger with the addition of Brendan Hamill and Florentin Pogba in the ATK Mohun Bagan squad! 

Paul Masefield:  I think the Sandesh Jhingan is actually done all right since he went into ATK Mohun Bagan and particularly during the AFC Championship League where he managed to push ATKMB through to the next phase of that competition. You've got to turn around and you've got to say, where does Juan Ferrando want to play his foreign players? Does he really want to play 2 central defenders as foreign players? Yes, that may push out Jhingan, but I doubt that that is going to be the case, so I would guess he would keep his place.

As long as he stays fit, I don't think there's too much of an issue for him. ATK Mohun Bagan as usual, making big statements. We spoke about them the last time with some of the local players that they've signed in Ashish Rai and Ashique Kuruniyan as well. So you've got to turn around and say all they've done is strengthened the squad with Joni Kauko there as well. I mean, you're turning around and they're going to be a formidable side again this season.

Darren Caldeira: Of course, it's gonna be absolutely vital for Jhingan to get, as many games under his belt as possible. We saw that his stint abroad wasn't so successful. Came back here, and started playing games again, but I still feel like when you look at him, he's playing still not playing at 100%, there's still times where you feel like he's carrying a slight niggle and he's not looking completely 100%, but that's going to go with time as and it's going to go with the number of games he plays but it's going to difficult now. With the likes of Florentine Pogba and Brendan Hamill in the squad and it is going to be difficult. We talk about having balance on the side which is the most important bit, and ATK Mohun Bagan has looked very good going forward.

On Raynier Fernandes joining Odisha FC in search of more game time 

Khuri Irani Khan: Yes, absolutely. I mean I had a word with the people behind the scenes right now and Fernandes is one of those players who's actually bold enough to go up and have a conversation when it comes to his playing time. Because for all players, it's extremely important that they get game time. Let's not forget, that Raynier was loved by George Costa. He was also loved by Lobera. But Fernandes didn't fit into the ethos of Des Buckingham so when a coach really likes a player and he sees that the player has talent, he allows him to go off on loan just for the betterment of the players, in order to ensure that he gets game time. So he asked the club what he wants, If he's not getting a sure short game time he'd like to go out. They'd sent out teasers, not just for a loan, they were ok to even sell the player. If that's what makes him happy, if that's what gives him a better contract, the clubs were willing to spend the transfer fee. 

That's the kind of player Raynier and that's how important he could be to any setup that he joins. But coaches changed, plans changed a lot of other teams were interested. I know that for sure. I've heard from them that they were very, very interested, and maybe if you know Mumbai is looking to extend Vineet Rai after he came in because he spent six months at Mumbai City FC, and you know Buckingham has been speaking very positively about him, it made sense for Rainier to move out to get minutes under his belt just so that he's back on IgorStimac's radar and we know that Stimac ash likes a player like Rainier. He's extremely skillful. He's very hard working.

On Akash Mishra, Sahil Tavora getting an extension from Hyderabad FC and how to fill the void which got created with Ashish Rai's departure

Khuri Irani Khan: When Ashish Rai was injured, or if he couldn't play out the entire 90 minutes, who stood in his stead and lived up to the billing? He was Nim Dorjee. Manuel Marquez likes Nim Dorjee. Marquez likes to use the depth of the squad that he has. If you see Sahil Tavora the guy who actually got them, the equaliser in the final. Whatever he likes to use alternatives. And Nim Dorjee is that alternative. So if I am reading Marquez correctly I think he's got named Dorjee in his plans this season because he always stood up for him. Secondly, I think Hyderabad FC is one of the most brilliant business heads in the Hero Indian Super League. They've brought in players. They've waited a few years. 

Look at Akash Akash waited his two years. He knew he had to climb up the rank. He knew he had to put in the hard yards. He did that and look where he is today. He has been appreciated. Sahil Tavora came and it was a little on-off, gray area for Tavora whether he will make it at HFC or not. He did it. He proved himself they've given him an extension is the same thing with players like Laxmikant Kattimani. He's their first-choice goalkeeper now. So, I think Ashish's replacement could be named Nim Dorjee. 

Darren Caldeira: Yes, talking about a fullback. So, like Khuri mentioned, yes why not Ashutosh Mehta? I still feel Hyderabad FC needs to get a right back in. They've got Nim Dorjee. Yes, he did a good job but he's not an Ashish Rai. He doesn't give you what Rai gives you going forward, that energy to keep bombing forward and putting in those crosses. 

Like Khuri mentioned try and get Ashutosh Mehta and he could be a good player to come in. Very experienced knows the league well, good in the air. You know there are a couple of other players I think realistically that would be would be possible to get in maybe Ankit Mukherjee. I think he's a player when he's fit and under a good coach, he can do really well. He's a little bit raw. I still feel the need to have a good coach and nobody's better than Manuel Marquez right now in terms of the young players.

With someone like Ankit Mukherjee, even as Sandeep Singh from Kerala Blasters, if he's available, I think Hyderabad there should be looking at these players.

On Mumbai City handing extension to Lallianzuala Chhangte and his future in the Indian football team

Paul Masefield:  Chhangte's pace that's one of the things and that's something that can be a threat. I think we saw from the selections that Igor Stimac was making. Depending on who the opponents were. That was a team that he picked to go and play against that side. You know, he picked bigger, stronger physical players when they played bigger, stronger physical teams when they sometimes need to, then mix it up to introduce that pace and introduce someone with that trickery with Chhangte. Because they're so embedded in what's been happening and what's going on, I think for me, Chhangte should be given an opportunity and a chance. But you know, does he get in ahead of the likes of Manvir? Does he get in into that national team ahead of Liston Colaco? These are the questions that will be answered this year, because Igor Stimac will pick players that perform.

He's so quick when he gets to the ball and he goes to cross it. I think he's still at 100 miles an hour and and and he sometimes is delivering into the box, isn't as good as it should be, and that's because he's just so quick he gets there ahead of everybody else. And then he thinks because he's got, there's got to cross it really, really quickly rather than just take that fraction of a second to just compose himself before delivering into the box. If he improves his quality into the box, I'm telling you he will rip the league apart this season. He really, really well.

On Kerala Blasters recruiting youngster Saurav Mandal

Darren Caldeira: Yes, Saurav Mandal is another very good signing. I would say for Kerala Blasters the second winger they've signed from Churchill Brothers, the first one being Bryce Miranda and I think he's he's slightly different to what Bryce offers. I think Bryce is more explosive. He got a lot more pace and more lethal going up front, but Mandal is a more well-rounded winger. He helps a lot more defensively, he doesn't score a lot of goals, and he wing backs as well and I was looking at some of his stats. Actually, in terms of key passes in front and interceptions and tackles, and for a winger, he's got a very high number in terms of interceptions and key passes, so that is good to see. He's not somebody with a lot of paces, but he's good on the ball. He's a good dribbler. 

I was watching some of his highlights as well, so I think that's a very good addition to Kerala Blasters. Will, he straight away slot into that starting XI it's going to be difficult because ho gonna find like Rahul KP who's going to be back there and Bryce Miranda, we know another left winger.  Mandal generally plays on the right there's Sahal we've seen who plays on the wing as well but you know he's young he's only 21 years old we've seen what Vukomanovic does with the young players and he is a quality player and he is going to improve under him.