Indian Super League (ISL) side East Bengal FC on Saturday announced that winger Naorem Mahesh Singh has put pen to paper on a three-year contract extension, keeping him with the Torch Bearers until May 2027.

Mahesh was awarded the ‘Emerging Footballer of the Year’ award at East Bengal FC’s 104th Foundation Day celebration. He got his Indian National Team call after his eye-catching performance with East Bengal FC and made his debut on March 22, 2023, against Myanmar. Since making his debut, the young winger has featured in 13 international matches and scored two goals against Nepal and Iraq.

Since joining East Bengal FC in 2021, the 24-year-old has scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 48 appearances. Mahesh registered seven assists to his name in ISL 2022–23, the best among the Indians. He also became the first Indian to register a hat-trick of assists in ISL history.

East Bengal FC head coach Carles Cuadrat said, “Mahesh’s extension is fantastic news for East Bengal. He exemplifies the mentality that our new project aims to instill in the club and its players. It indeed is an honour for us to see this young attacker perform so well for the Indian national team. He’s definitely an important player for the future of Indian football and is someone who genuinely relates to the East Bengal values.”

Mahesh said, “For me, East Bengal is not just a club; it’s my family. I began my ISL career with this great club, and I am excited to continue my journey here. I am thankful to the East Bengal management and Coach Cuadrat for initiating this new project and considering me an important part of it. I would also like to thank all my teammates and the support staff for helping me become a better player."

Hailing from Manipur, Mahesh began his youth career with the Royal Wahingdoh FC U16 team before joining I-League side Shillong Lajong FC. Before joining East Bengal, he played for several I-League clubs, like Aizawl FC and Sudeva Delhi. His partnership with Brazilian striker Cleiton Silva was one of the best duos in the ISL 2022–23.