With the transfer window having opened on June 12, the Indian Super League (ISL) clubs have been knee-deep in transfer action. We take a club-wise look (in order of their league standings last season) at the confirmed ins and outs and give our take on the club's activity so far.
IN: Tom Aldred (CB), Alberto Rodriguez (CB), Apuia (CM)
OUT: Kiyan Nassiri (FWD), Lalrinliana Hnamte (CM), Brendan Hamill (CB), Joni Kauko (CM), Hector Yuste (CB)
ESPN Assessment: (6/10) It's been an interesting window for Bagan, with the biggest departure being Joni Kauko, the driving force of most MB midfields of recent seasonings. But they'll hope they can make up for it with the transfer coup of the window (so far) in Apuia. There's also a complete revamp in defence, along with the managerial change already in place.
P.S. If the Anwar Ali saga goes sideways (East Bengal are reportedly in for him), the score will go lower.
IN: Nikolas Karelis (CF), Noufal PN (LW), TP Rehenesh (GK), Daniel Lalhlimpuia (CF), Brandon Fernandes (CAM), Jayesh Rane (CM), Jeremy Manzorro (CAM), Jon Toral (CAM)
OUT: Apuia (CM), Mohammad Nawaz (GK), Iker Guarrotxena (LW), Alberto Noguera (CAM), Gurkirat Singh (CF), Rahul Bheke (CB), Rowllin Borges (CM), Jorge Pereyra Diaz (CF), Naocha Singh (LB), Vinit Rai (CM), Amey Ranawade (RB), Bhaskar Roy (GK), Tondomba Singh (CM)
ESPN Assessment: (6/10) Mumbai have lost a fair few key men, but they'll hope Brandon Fernandes can be the answer in midfield. The loss of experience up top (and in defence) will be harder to handle, but Petr Kratky has shown an inclination to trust youngsters and that may be the way forward for City this season.
They will also count extending Lallianzuala Chhangte as a big win.
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Lallianzuala Chhangte remains ������ ���� ������ ������ after signing a new deal with #TheIslanders until 2027 ��✍#Chhangte2027 #MumbaiCity #AamchiCity �� @lzchhangte7 pic.twitter.com/MQoG7rKURz
- Mumbai City FC (@MumbaiCityFC) June 28, 2024
IN: Lara Sharma (GK), Iker Guarrotxena (LW), Aakash Sangwan (LB), Mohammed Yasir (RW), Rowllin Borges (CM), Muhammad Hammad (CB)
OUT: Noah Sadaoui (LW), Brandon Fernandes (CAM), Carlos Martinez (CF), Victor Rodriguez (CAM), Dheeraj Singh (GK), Saviour Gama (LB), Samson Pereira (LB)
ESPN Assessment: (3/10) They have lost their chief attacking threat in Noah and chief creative outlet in Brandon, and while Guarratoxena is an interesting addition, the two losses haven't been adequately replaced yet.
IN: Rohit Kumar (CM), Amey Ranawade (RB)
OUT: Michael Soosairaj (LW), Lalthummawia Ralte (GK), Sahil Panwar (LB), Cy Goddard (LW), Aniket Jadhav (RW), Pranjal Bhumijj (CF)
ESPN Assessment: (4/10) Not many incomings or outgoings from the big spenders of last season yet, but they've extended Roy Krishna's contract and retained much of the core that did well under Sergio Lobera last time around.
IN: Noah Sadaoui (LW), Lalthanmawia (LW), Likmabam Rakesh (LB), Som Kumar (GK), Nora Fernandes (GK), Naocha Singh (LB),
OUT: Fedor Cernych (CF), Dimitrios Diamantakos (CF), Daisuke Sakai (RW), Marko Leskovic (CB), Nishu Kumar (LB), Givson Singh (CM), Karanjit Singh (GK)
ESPN Assessment: (6/10) Losing Diamantakos and Leskovic will be big blows, but in Noah, they have brought in the league's most exciting player. There's still some strengthening left to do, especially up top, if they are to compete for silverware this season.
IN: Mohammad Nawaz (GK), Kiyan Nassiri (FWD), Jitendra Singh (CDM), Wilmar Jordan Gil (CF), Elsinho (CB), Laldinpuia (CB), Gurkirat Singh (CF), Lucas Brambilla (CAM), Lalrinliana Hnamte (CM), Daniel Chima Chukwu (CF), Mandar Rao Desai (LB), Bijay Chhetri (CB)
OUT: Rafael Crivellaro (CAM), Ninthoi Meetei (RW), Aakash Sangwan (LB), Jordan Murray (CF), Dejbit Majumdar (GK), Devansh Dabas (GK), Sweden Fernandes (RM), Cristian Battocchio (CM)
ESPN Assessment: (8/10) A massive reshuffle at Chennaiyin has introduced a whole new attack force, with an interesting mix of experienced foreign strikers and exciting Indian talent. In Nawaz, they now also have a sweeper-keeper who will help Owen Coyle play front-foot football.
Fresh faces. New languages. One emotion ��#AllInForChennaiyin pic.twitter.com/zIcKx2WUmt
- Chennaiyin F.C. (@ChennaiyinFC) July 10, 2024
IN: Guillermo Fernandez (CF), Mayakkannan Muthu (CM)
OUT: Hiro Mondal (LB), Manvir Singh (CF), Gani Nigam (LW), Gaurav Bora (CB), Roccharzela (RW)
ESPN Assessment: (5/10) Quiet, but they will appreciate holding onto the young Indian attacking talents in their ranks. The squad can still do with strengthening, though.
IN: Ninthoi Meetei (RW), Vinit Rai (CM), Nihal Sudeesh (RW), Muheet Shabir (GK)
OUT: Madih Talal (CAM), Wilmar Jordan Gil (CF), Daniel Lalhlimpuia (CF), Mohammad Salah (LB), Dimitrios Chatziisaias (CB), Isaac Vanmalsawma (CAM), Krishnananda Singh (LW), Juan Mera (FWD), Bidyashagar Singh (CF), Luka Majcen (CF), Prasanth K (RW)
ESPN Assessment: (2/10) They have lost the spine of the side that surprised so many last season, and they have not come close to replacing them.
IN: Dimitrios Diamantakos (CF), Madih Talal (CAM), David Lalhlansanga (CF), Provat Lakra (LB), Debjit Majumder (GK), Mark Zothanpuia (CM), Nishu Kumar (LB)
OUT: Javi Siverio (CF), Jose Pinto (CB), Madar Rao Desai (LB), Mobashir Rahman (CM), Victor Vazquez (CAM), Aleksander Pantic (CB), Felicio Brown (CF)
ESPN Assessment: (7.5/10) Diamantakos brings the goals, Talal brings the creativity and Lalhlansanga brings attacking options: exactly what Carles Cuadrat's side were crying out for last season. If they manage their reported coup of Anwar Ali from their rivals across town, this score will shoot up too. Finally, an optimistic-looking window if you're an EB fan.
IN: Alberto Noguera (CAM), Jorge Pereyra Diaz (CF), Rahul Bheke (CB), Edgar Mendez (RW), Lalthuammawia Ralte (GK), Mohammed Salah (LB)
OUT: Javi Hernandez (CAM), Lara Sharma (GK), Amrit Gope (GK), Oliver Drost (CF), Slavko Damjanovic (CB), Rohit Kumar (CM), Jayesh Rane (CM), Shankar Sampingiraj (CB), Robin Yadav (RB)
ESPN Assessment: (7/10) A squad that needed mass refreshing is getting it, with the lack of attacking oomph being solved by a revamp: Noguera and JPD have goals in them, and Bheke brings in much-needed experience at the back.
Bengaluru, he's here! ������#WeAreBFC | @IndSuperLeague pic.twitter.com/8kI46YWanU
- Bengaluru FC (@bengalurufc) July 11, 2024
IN: Javi Siverio (CF), Jordan Murray (CF), Sreekuttan VS (RW), Mobashir Rahman (CM), Amrit Gope (GK),
OUT: Jitendra Singh (CDM), Elsinho (CB), TP Rehenesh (GK), PC Laldinpuia (CB), Provat Lakra (LB), Jeremy Manzorro (CAM), Daniel Chima Chukwu (CF), Alen Stevanovic (LW)
ESPN Assessment: (5/10) Neither Siverio nor Murray impressed, particularly last season, and while promising on paper, they need to show early intent if we are to bump this score up later on.
IN: NIL
OUT: Mark Zothanpuia (CM), Mohammed Yasir (RW)
ESPN Assessment: (0/10) Things are a long way from getting to normal at Hyderabad FC, and their latest AIFF transfer ban (for two windows) makes matters even worse.
NEW: MOHAMMEDAN SC
IN: Ashley Alban Koli (LW), Sajal Bag (CM), Tangva Ragui (CM), Salman Faris (RB)
OUT: David Lalhlansanga (CF), Eddie Hernandez (CF), Evgeniy Kozlov (RW), James Kithan (GK), Karandeep (LB), Bedashwor Singh (RM)
ESPN Assessment: (3/10) On the face of it, the new (very old) boys will need a whole lot more activity to be in the mix come the business end of things next season, but it remains to be seen how competitive they will be with most of the squad that won them the I-League, and with it this promotion.