Promoted by IMG-Reliance, the fourth season of the ISL is all set to add new heroes to India’s football landscape. With the entry of two more teams in the ISL, the upcoming season will be the biggest of its kind in the history of Indian sport. The league will host a total of 90 matches in its first stage, a steep increase from the 61-match schedule the ISL had had over its past three seasons. An added incentive for this year’s teams is that the winner of the coveted title will also secure an automatic playoff spot in the AFC Cup.
The Indian player draft for the fourth edition of the ISL took place earlier today at St Regis, Lower Parel, Mumbai. More than 200 players went under the hammer. A total of 15 rounds took place in the draft process from where the 10 teams built their Indian contingent. Each team had a maximum salary cap of INR 18 crores out of which INR 12.5 crores was reserved for foreign players.
Mumbai City FC had retained Sehnaj Singh and Amrinder Singh ahead of today's domestic player draft. Delhi Dynamos were the only existing team in the ISL to not retain any player. All the other teams, apart from newcomers Jamshedpur FC, had retained a minimum two players each.
Mumbai City FC found their most expensive domestic player in 30-year-old striker Balwant Singh. The sixth expensive player in the draft, Singh has enjoyed a successful career in I-League football, playing for four different clubs in eight years. He had earlier played for Chennaiyin FC in the ISL and will be a clinical addition to the Mumbai's strikeforce. Pranjal Bhumij was the other striker bought by the franchise.
Mumbai City FC also roped in India international goalkeeper Arindam Bhattacharya. The 28-year-old made his debut in the ISL for Pune City FC in 2014 and has managed only 15 appearances. Worth a staggering INR 64 lakhs, Bhattacharya will be aiming to get much more game-time and prove his worth next season.
Given below is the full list of players picked up Mumbai City FC in the player draft.
Updated squad list of Mumbai City FC:
1 Arminder Singh
2 Sehnaj Singh
3 Rakesh Oram
4 Balwant Singh
5 Arindam Bhattacharya
6 Raju Gaikwad
7 Avinash Ruidas
8 Sahil Tavora
9 Aiborlang Khongjee
10 Sanju Pradhan
11 Zakeer Mundampara
12 Biswajit Saha
13 Pranjal Bhumij
14 Mehrajuddin Wadoo
15 Lalchhawnkima
16 Kunal Sawant