Odisha FC announced the signing of left-back George D'Souza from Goa Pro League (GPL) side Sporting Clube de Goa for the upcoming Hero Indian Super League (Hero ISL) season, on Wednesday. The 26-year-old fullback scored four goals for the Goa-based side during the 2019-20 GPL season, with the club on top of the league standings before its suspension due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I am extremely delighted to sign the contract with Odisha FC and am looking forward to playing in the Indian Super League. It’s a good promotion for me and playing for Odisha will be a great experience as well. I am also hopeful that I can add a lot of value to the team in the upcoming season,” George said after completing his move to Odisha.

Odisha president Mr Rohan Sharma added, “We are pleased to welcome George to the club. He appeared on our radar after scouts sang his praises in the Goa Pro League. He amassed some fantastic stats while in the GPL considering he was playing left-back. While I know it can be daunting to make the leap from the GPL to the ISL, there are already success stories and I am sure George will handle himself with aplomb.”

A Goa native, George started his career with SESA Football Academy before moving to the GPL with Sporting Clube de Goa. After his impressive performances in the GPL, the defender has now signed a two-year deal with the Bhubaneswar-based side that finished sixth in the standings in their debut Hero ISL campaign.

A strong presence in the backline, George brings a sense of assurance to defences and is blessed with a wand of a left foot that’s adept at taking set-pieces. Comfortable while marauding forward, he is known for getting his share of assists from the flanks.