Kerala Blasters FC have completed the signing of 30-year-old Senegalese midfielder, Mouhamadou Moustapha Gning. The club announced the move via their Twitter handle on Wednesday and it is another stark reminder of their intentions ahead of next season. Gning joins the likes of Bartholomew Ogbeche, Sergio Cidoncha and Gianni Zuiverloon as the prominent foreign players moving base to Eelco Schattorie’s Blasters for the Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) 2019-20 campaign.

#SwagathamMoustapha ??

Let's welcome the Senegalese midfielder, Mouhamadou Moustapha Gning, who joins us for the upcoming Hero ISL Season! ????

#KeralaBlasters pic.twitter.com/KKkPCypcyr

— Kerala Blasters FC (@KeralaBlasters) July 17, 2019

Gning made his senior professional debut playing for UD Logroñés in the 2011-12 season. He stayed two years at the club, making 46 appearances for them.

Over the next five years, the Senegalese went on to represent some of the other Spanish outfits like Sariñena, Amorebieta, Ebro and Lleida Esportiu. He kept churning out more than 30 appearances in each of those terms, while also playing with and against some of the world’s finest talent in the Copa del Ray. Gning’s most productive campaign in front of goal remains the 2014-15 term, where he scored four goals from 30 matches for Amorebieta.

The midfield destroyer played for Spanish second-division outfit, SD Ejea last season. In all, he played 36 matches for the club, scoring just a solitary goal.

“I’m really excited to be a part of Kerala Blasters and can’t wait to start playing for the team,” Gning said after completing the move. “I appreciate the opportunity and am really curious to know more about Indian football and discover the culture of an amazing state like Kerala. My ultimate goal is to put in my best on the pitch and fight for the goals of the club.”

The addition of the midfielder will further strengthen an already formidable Blasters unit. Schattorie has gone about his business at a terrific pace, accumulating all the available talent as quickly as he could, enabling him more time with the squad on the training field.

The Dutchman was extremely pleased with the 30-year-old’s move to the south-coast, claiming that the midfielder is just the type of player he needed. “We are very happy and proud to have signed a player like Moustapha, who is a rock in the midfield. Players like him, who are willing to put in that extra effort are like cement that keeps the team together. Looking forward to working with him,” he stated.