Hyderabad FC have extended the contract of full-back Akash Mishra by three years, which will keep him at the club till the end of the 2024-25 season. The youngster was roped in the by the Hyderabad FC ahead of Hero Indian Super League (ISL) 2020-21 season.

Over the previous two years, Mishra, who arrived in Hyderabad as an exciting prospect, has developed into an important player for not just his team, but also the country. Mishra, a key member of Manolo Marquez's HFC, has been one of the first names on the squad sheet for the Spaniard, having played more minutes in yellow and black in the last two Indian Super League seasons than any other player. 

He was a key member of Hyderabad's historic, title-winning Hero ISL campaign in 2021-22, and is eager to see the team grow for years to come.

“As a club, we've been through a lot in my two seasons here. Even before we became Champions, I have an emotional attachment to the club and it was an easy decision for me to stay," said the youngster.

But the 20-year-old knows that there is a lot more to learn from the head coach Manuel Marquez, he said, “You don't have to convince a player to play for Coach Manolo. Anyone who has played under him will tell you how good he is on and off the field. I have learned a lot from him and I hope I can continue learning in the years to come,".

Since his debut he has been one of the most consistent players for Hyderabad, and has quickly become a fan favorite in the city. When it comes to the fans, he said, “"The supporters are very important for us as a player or us as a club. Without them, winning the ISL trophy would have felt incomplete. We have seen their support on social media but now it is time to show us the love at Gachibowli. We promise to give it our 100% every time and never disappoint."

Vishal Kaith, Nerijus Valskis departs Chennaiyin FC as Aakash Sangwan and Sajal Bag join

The two-time Hero Indian Super League (ISL) champions Chennaiyin FC have parted their ways with the goalkeeper Vishal Kaith and forward Nerijus Valskis following the conclusion of their contracts. The Marina Machans though also added two new players in their squad as they signed defender Aakash Sangwan and midfielder Sajal Bag on two-year deals ahead of the upcoming season. The announcement came through their social media handles on Tuesday.

The goalkeeper joined the Chennaiyin FC from Hyderabad FC in 2019-20 for an undisclosed fee, after spending the previous three seasons at FC Pune City where he played a key role in the team reaching the Hero ISL 2017-18 semi-final and contributed with seven clean sheets in 17 appearances that season.

The 25-year-old goalkeeper in his inaugural season played a pivotal role and featured prominently in Chennaiyin FC's runners-up finish. He made 41 saves in twenty appearances that season. Overall, in his 49 appearances he made astonishing 113 saves for the Marina Machans.

Nerijus Valskis who in his first stint with Chennaiyin FC in 2019, became an instant hit in the Hero ISL, winning the Golden Boot, has decided to bid adieu to the club after returning for a second spell with the club following a year with Jamshedpur FC. 

However, having joined in January, he couldn't make the desired impact as Chennaiyin FC's season derailed.

He made total 37 appearances for the Chennai based side, he registered himself on scoresheet 19 times and made seven assists.

The forward penned down a farewell tweet on his exit from the club, he wrote, “The time has come…. Thank you @chennaiyinfc for all the memories. You will always remain in my memories. I will miss Marina Arena. Good luck to you all.

But there is plenty of reason for the Chennaiyin FC fans to cheer as the club continued its shopping spree this summer with the acquisitions of the 26-year-old Sangwan and West Bengal youngster Bag.

“We are happy to welcome two new members to the Chennaiyin family in Aakash Sangwan and Sajal Bag,” said Chennaiyin FC co-owner Vita Dani.

Sangwan will join the Marina Machans from RoundGlass Punjab, formerly known as Minerva Punjab, with whom he won the I-League title in 2018.

The 19-years-old midfielder on the other hand, will join Chennaiyin after an impressive showing in West Bengal’s runner-up finish in the Santosh Trophy.

“In Aakash, we have an I-League winner who has shown on many occasions that he is a player that can be relied upon in the backline. We are also aware of young Sajals’ exploits in the recently concluded Santosh Trophy with Bengal and we believe we can provide him the support he needs to break through,” the co-owner Dani added.

Sangwan, a footballer from Haryana, has a lot of experience, having played in 66 matches in his professional career. He has played five I-League seasons for The Warriors since making his debut in 2016, scoring one goal and assisting on two occasions. 

“I am super excited for my first season with Chennaiyin FC. It’s a club I always admired and glad to be a part of,” said Sangwan.

Bag, who is 19 years old, played for Mohun Bagan's youth team and was named Best Youth Player of the Season in the 2019-20 season. He has played 46 matches across various domestic competitions, scoring six goals.

“I am delighted to join Chennaiyin FC. I am very excited with the opportunity and motivated to train harder. I want to contribute in achieving the ISL trophy,” elated Bag said.

Odisha FC sign Osama Malik

Odisha FC announced the signing of Australian defender Osama Malik for the upcoming Hero Indian Super League (ISL) season via their social media handles. The 31-years-old defender signed a year-long deal with the club.

The Aussie defender is adaptable player who can play central defense, fullback, as well as a holding midfield. He has previously played for Adelaide United, North Queensland Fury, Melbourne City, and, most recently, Perth Glory in the Hyundai A-League.

The Kalinga Warriors head coach Josep Gombau seems pleased with the signing of Australian defender, he said,” First of all I would like to welcome Osama to the club and I am so happy to have him here. He is a player who has a lot of experience in Asia. Osama has 200 games under his belt when he was at Adelaide and he is a player that I know very well.”

During his time with the Saudi Arabian club Al-Batin, the former Australia U-20 international also gained some international experience. 

Odisha FC now has filled their obligatory Asian quota in the roster with this addition.

 

Related tags:

Odisha FCHyderabad FCChennaiyin FC Nerijus ValskisPress ReleasesVishal KaithAkash Mishra