Mumbai City FC confirmed the departure of captain Rahul Bheke whose contract is set to expire on Friday. 

The defender will leave the team after having won the League Shield and the ISL Cup in his time.

The Mumbai native joined the club on a free transfer in August 2021. Bheke made history by scoring the winning header in a 2-1 victory against Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, becoming the first Indian player to score in the AFC Champions League. Over his three-year stint with the club, Bheke featured in 78 matches and found the back of the net three times.

He was an important part of the club's success, helping them secure the prestigious ISL League Winners' Shield in the 2022–23 season and playing a crucial role in their triumphant ISL Cup final against Mohun Bagan SG in the 2023–24 season.

As Bheke leaves the club, the Islanders thanked him for his contributions and wish him the best in his future endeavours.

FC Goa bid farewell to six more players including Sadaoui

FC Goa parted ways with six players from the first team following the expiry of their contracts this summer, the club officially confirmed.

The Gaurs bid adieu to Noah Sadaoui, Carlos Martinez, Victor Rodriguez, Dheeraj Singh, Sanson Pereira, and Saviour Gama, all of whom have been integral parts of the team across the past few seasons but have now chosen to continue their respective footballing journeys on a different pathway.

Noah Sadaoui joined FC Goa in the summer of 2023 and has been an integral part of the team’s attack in the two seasons since. In 54 matches for the Gaurs, the Moroccan international netted 29 times along with providing 16 assists, making him the all-time second-best scorer for the club in terms of goal contributions.

Spanish striker Carlos Martinez made 32 appearances for the club last season, returning with 16 goals and three assists. Another key component of last season’s squad that reached the ISL semi-finals, Victor Rodriguez, notched five goals and three assists in 14 matches before an injury cut short his time donning the orange shirt.

Dheeraj Singh, Sanson Pereira, and Saviour Gama had been part of Goa’s setup for a while now and were members of the first club squad from India to feature in the AFC Champions League (ACL) group stage when the Gaurs participated in Asia’s premier football competition in 2021.

Dheeraj went on to be named in the ACL Team of the Season, while Saviour Gama will be remembered for his rise from the club’s development team to the first team, where he won the Super Cup 2018-19, the ISL 2019-20 League Shield, and the Durand Cup 2021.

Everyone at the club wishes to record their thanks and gratitude to each of our departing Gaurs. We further wish them all the best in their future endeavors.

Kerala Blasters FC part ways with Diamantakos, Lara, and Karanjit

Indian Super League (ISL) outfit Kerala Blasters FC announced the departure of three players on Friday through its social media outlets.

ISL 2023–24 season's Golden Boot winner Dimitrios Diamantakos and two of their goalkeepers, Karanjit Singh and Lara Sharma, are among these three whose journey with the Blasters comes to an end.

Diamantakos, the Greek forward, has been sensational throughout the just-concluded season with his stellar performances. He notched 13 goals this season while providing three assists in his 17 appearances this season.

Despite enduring a challenging season with numerous injuries, the Blasters’ captain was the driving force in the forward line, delivering crucial goals in tough situations. Diamantakos’ supremacy to hit the target with ease was pivotal to the Yellow Army’s third playoff qualification in a row.

Sachin Suresh’s season-ending shoulder injury opened the door for Karanjit Singh to make his way between the sticks. The veteran goalie made seven appearances in which he made 14 saves and completed 70 recoveries.

In April, Lara Sharma made his Kerala Blasters FC debut against NorthEast United FC. Having featured in the last three matches of the season, he averaged three saves per game and made 18 successful distributions.

NorthEast United FC part ways with five players

Manvir Singh, Gani Nigam, Gourav Bora, Hira Mondal, and Rochharzela are set to leave NorthEast United FC in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Manvir, the 22-year-old forward, played seven matches under the guidance of Spanish head coach Juan Pedro Benali. Singh ended the season without making any goal contributions but completed 36 successful passes and created three chances during his 311 minutes on the pitch.

Gani Nigam was featured in 11 games for the Highlanders, in which he had an assist to his name. Nigam averaged 16 passes per game and completed seven successful dribbles. 

Gourav Bora clocked 193 minutes in his five appearances this season. Bora won six tackles. eight duels and completed 10 recoveries.

Both Hira Mondal and Rochharzela played a single game for NorthEast United FC this season in which they were only 15 and 11 minutes on the pitch, respectively.

Related tags:

Kerala Blasters FCVictor RodriguezFC GoaMumbai City FCNorthEast United FC2023-2024 Hira MondalRahul BhekeKaranjit SinghDheeraj SinghLara SharmaGaurav BoraManvir SinghDimitrios DiamantakosCarlos Martinez RodriguezNoah Sadaoui