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Season 5 of the Indian Super League kicks off on 29 September and this season promises to be an interesting one due to the mid-season break. With India playing in the AFC Asian Cup in January 2019, the ISL takes a break at the end of December.
Only the first half of the season's fixtures have been announced so far with the ISL fixture schedule for 2019 to be announced at a later date. However, one thing that has been confirmed is the final squad for each of the 10 clubs.
1 September 2018 was the last date for all players' details to be submitted to the ISL and all clubs are now quite busy with their pre-season preparations. And the number of foreigners in each squad remains pegged at 7.
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This season, the salary cap is Rs 17.5 Cr (down from Rs. 18 Cr last season). It includes transfer fees paid (added) and received (deducted). However, the marquee player's salary is not included in the salary cap (similar to the Designated Player Rule in the MLS).
Here is a list of foreigners from each team in the ISL for the 2018/19 season.
#1 ATK
John Johnson: One of ATK's biggest captures, Johnson spent five seasons with Bengaluru FC where he won five trophies (including two league titles). A strong centre-back and a true leader at the back, ATK's defence needed a player like him after the Kolkata side conceded 30 goals (second-highest) and finished ninth last season.
Manuel Lanzarote: A Barcelona youth product, Lanzarote was in devastating form for FC Goa last season with 13 goals and 6 assists. His contributions saw Goa top the table for most goals in the season and he will be their key playmaker this season.
Kalu Uche: The main player of note for Delhi Dynamos last season was Uche and ATK needed an experienced striker who knows the league. ATK will hope he can either replicate or better his tally of 13 goals last season.
Andre Bikey: Another experienced campaigner in the ISL, ATK becomes Bikey's fourth club in India. Having played under Steve Coppell at Jamshedpur FC last season, he has now followed his coach to Kolkata.
Gerson Vieira: Having played with Mumbai City last season, he is yet another defensive signing for ATK. In 18 matches, he made 52 tackles, 23 interceptions, 63 clearances, and 27 blocks in the 2017/18 campaign.
Everton Santos: Another player from Mumbai City who has moved to ATK, Santos was the club's top goalscorer with 6 goals and 5 assists. His versatility to play as a forward or a winger will be crucial to Coppell and ATK.
Noussair El Maimouni: This will be the Moroccan midfielder's first season in India after spending nine seasons in the Botola (Morocco's top division). A right-back by trade, Maimouni can also slot into a defensive midfield position.
#2 NorthEast United
Bartholomew Ogbeche: A product of the PSG youth academy and having played for the senior team for a few seasons, 33-year-old Ogbeche is a forward who has come a long way to arrive in India. He had also played for Middlesbrough and represented Nigeria when he was a young international.
Juan Cruz Mascia: The Uruguayan forward is only 24 years old and is expected to shoulder the goalscoring burden of a team that finished dead last in 2017/18 with just 12 goals in 18 games. Mascia has played for Uruguay's youth teams at the international level.
Augustine Okrah: A Ghanian midfielder who can also play on the wings, this is his first stint in Asia after playing in the Ghanian Premier League, Sudan, and even a loan spell in Sweden. He is also another relatively young player aged just 24.
Jose David Leudo: Another 24-year-old midfielder, Leudo is a central midfielder who once had a trial at Boca Juniors. His main claim to fame is his stint at Colombian club Deportivo Pasto and playing for the Colombia U-20 team.
Mato Grgic: A Croatian defender who was born in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 30-year-old can play as a right or left centre-back. He has spent most of his career in the Croatian top division with a stint in Budapest, Hungary.
Mislav Komorski: Another Croatian centre-back, 26-year-old Komorski has played for numerous Croatian clubs, including Dinamo Zagreb. He has also represented Croatia at various youth levels but never been selected for the senior team.
Federico Gallego: An attacking midfielder, Gallego spent a few years helping Sud América get promoted to Uruguay's top division. Aged 28, he can play across the midfield line but is mainly deployed in the centre.
#3 Delhi Dynamos
Marcos Tebar: The 32-year-old midfielder returns to Delhi after a stint in 2016. The Real Madrid youth product played 19 times for Pune City last season, finishing with a goal and two assists. He also contributed with 44 tackles and 24 interceptions.
Rene Mihelic: The Slovenian midfielder won the ISL last season with Chennaiyin FC and Delhi have brought the 30-year-old on board this season on a one-year deal. He had two goals and four assists last season in 20 games, mostly coming on as a substitute.
Francisco Dorronsoro: Delhi conceded the most goals last season and they have brought in the veteran goalkeeper in a bid to stop leaking goals. The 33-year-old shot-stopper has spent his entire career in Spain, making over 130 appearances.
Andrija Kaluderovic: The 31-year-old striker has played for Serbia's youth teams and senior teams. At his peak, he topped the Serbian league's goalscoring charts when he was at Red Star Belgrade.
Marti Crespi: The 31-year-old centre-back from Spain is a product of Mallorca and has played in the second tier of Chinese football the past two years. He has been brought in to fit into new coach Josep Gombau's possession game.
Adria Carmona: The 26-year-old has spent time at the academies of Barcelona and AC Milan but made his LaLiga debut with Zaragoza on loan. The attacking midfielder has spent the last few years in the Segunda Division with various clubs including Girona and Albacete.
Gianni Zuiverloon: Capable of playing as a right-back or centre-back, the Dutch defender has Premier League experience with West Bromwich Albion. He also played in LaLiga with Mallorca and spent four years in the Dutch Eredivisie.
#4 Mumbai City
Lucian Goian: Mumbai City have revamped the squad this season but they retained Romanian defender Goian who played 16 matches last season. Apart from scoring two goals, he made 85 tackles, 27 interceptions, and 79 clearances for the Islanders.
Paulo Machado: The 32-year-old is a well-travelled central midfielder who has played for Porto, Toulouse, Olympiacos, and Dinamo Zagreb. He has also played for Portugal's youth team and made six senior team appearances.
Modou Sougou: A right-winger, Sougou has played for clubs like Marseille and Sheffield Wednesday. At Cluj, he has even played in and scored in the Champions League. He has also played 12 times for Senegal.
Rafael Bastos: Over a 12-year career, Bastos has played in South America, Europe, and Asia on short-term contracts. He is a second striker capable of playing as an attacking midfielder and a player who has played under new manager Jorge Costa.
Matias Mirabaje: The Uruguayan attacking midfielder played with Delhi Dynamos last season, notching three goals and an assist. He usually plays as a no.10 but has played on the left wing too.
Marko Klisura: The Serbian defender has spent almost his entire career in Serbia before moving to Uzbekistan where he hardly played with Buxoro. Aged 25, he has played for Serbia only in a friendly and plays at centre-back.
Arnold Issoko: A right-back by trade, the 26-year-old from Congo can also play as a right winger and spent the last three seasons at Portuguese top-tier side Vitoria de Setubal. He has also made his international debut for Congo.
#5 Kerala Blasters
Nemanja Lakic-Pesic: The 26-year-old centre-back has been retained by Blasters where he played 16 matches last season. His stats read 23 tackles, 9 interceptions, 51 clearances, and 17 blocks.
Courage Pekuson: Another player who was retained is the attacking midfielder from Ghana. In 17 games, the 23-year-old scored one goal and grabbed 5 assists while he also made 56 tackles.
Cyril Kali: The 34-year-old French centre-back has been brought in for his experience having played for numerous clubs in Greece. This is his first stint outside Europe.
Kizito Keziron: A 21-year-old from Uganda, he has also played in Kenya before making the switch to Kerala. He did play four times for the Blasters last season but was released after a shoulder injury ended his season.
Nikola Krcmarevic: The 26-year-old Serbian defensive midfielder spent a chunk of his career in Serbia and Greece His experience of over 200 senior appearances will be crucial to the Blasters' push for a playoff spot.
Slavisa Stojanovic: A centre-forward capable of playing as a second striker, Stojanovic has even played a couple of times in the Europa League. He is the Blasters' third Serbian player and has made 156 appearances in the country's top flight.
Matej Poplatnik: Aged 26, Poplatnik is a centre-forward who knows how to find the back of the net. He has scored 75 goals in 158 appearances in his career. He can also play on either wing.
#6 Jamshedpur FC
Tim Cahill: Arguably the marquee signing of the summer, Australian forward Cahill brings the experience of four World Cups, Premier League, MLS, and the Chinese Super League with him. With nearly 220 career goals, the 38-year-old will be expected to lead Jamshedpur to the semi-finals.
Tiri: The Spanish defender is no stranger to the ISL. He previously played for ATK (winning the title in 2016) before joining Jamshedpur last season. The former Atletico Madrid B player made 37 tackles, 30 interceptions, and 119 clearances in 18 games last season.
Memo: Another player that was retained by the club, Memo is a defensive midfielder who has played at right-back on the odd occasion. He's been playing in India since 2016 (first with Delhi Dynamos). In 18 games last season, he made 37 tackles, 30 interceptions, and 119 clearances.
Pablo Morgado Blanco: The 29-year-old right-winger has played for a number of Spanish clubs including Valencia B. With over 133 appearances, he also has nine goals to his name.
Sergio Cidoncha: An Atletico Madrid youth product, the 28-year-old attacking midfielder has spent his entire career in Spain's Segunda Division where he has made nearly 200 appearances and scored 23 goals.
Carlos Calvo Sobrado: A central attacking midfielder who can play on either wing, Calvo is also an Atletico Madrid youth product. He has made over 300 appearances at various senior levels (including a season in LaLiga with Xerez) with 27 goals and 17 assists to his name.
Mario Arques: A product of Villarreal, Arques is Jamshedpur's fifth Spaniard. The central midfielder has played for Valencia B and Elche.
#7 Pune City
Emiliano Alfaro: This will be Alfaro's third season in the ISL and Pune City's top goalscorer last season (9 goals) will be tasked with leading the line yet again. They fell in the semis last season. Can he take them all the way this time?
Marcelinho: While Alfaro was the top goalscorer, captain Marcelinho was their key player with 8 goals and 7 assists. A winner of the Golden Boot in 2016 (10 goals), his partnership with Alfaro will be key to Pune's fortunes.
Marko Stankovic: The 32-year-old central midfielder has played for notable clubs such as Austria Wien where he spent four years and he has also made an appearance for the Austrian national team. He joined the club last season, playing 10 games in all.
Diego Carlos: The 30-year-old winger who can also play as a forward played 18 times for Pune last season to grab two goals and an assist. Predominantly a left-winger, he can be deployed on the right too.
Jonathan Vila: The 32-year-old midfielder came through Celta Vigo's youth system and spent more than 10 years in the senior team in the Segunda Division and LaLiga. But his stint at the club ended when Luis Enrique (former Barcelona and current Spain boss) didn't fancy him. He has also played for Real Oviedo.
Matt Mills: The only other Englishman in the ISL after John Johnson, Mills brings Premier League and Championship experience with him to India. The 32-year-old centre-back has made over 400 appearances for clubs such as Southampton, Manchester City, Reading, Leicester, and Bolton Wanderers.
Martin Diaz: The Uruguayan centre-back has played for Montevideo side Liverpool and has ISL experience with NorthEast United last season, playing 16 games. The 30-year-old, who can play as a defender and defensive midfielder, made 18 ISL appearances last season.
*Iain Hume: The ISL veteran with 21 goals in the competition is Pune City's 8th foreigner but technically he is not in the squad. He has not been registered yet as he is currently injured and will not be fit for the start of the season. He can only be registered if another foreign player gets injured or leaves the club and needs to be replaced.
#8 FC Goa
Ferran Corominas: The runaway winner of the Golden Boot last season with 18 goals, the 35-year-old forward will be expected to lead the line again. He carries with him 10 years of experience in LaLiga with Espanyol, Osasuna, and Elche.
Hugo Boumous: The 23-year-old attacking midfielder joined the club in the winter of last season after former manager and current Goa coach Sergio Lobera convinced him. In 8 matches, he had 2 goals and 2 assists.
Mourtada Fall: The 30-year-old Senegalese centre-back towers over the rest with his 6 ft 11 in frame and is hard to miss. Apart from his aerial presence (especially on set-pieces), his ability to play with the ball at his feet and bring the ball out will be crucial to Goa's possession game.
Edu Bedia: A youth product of Racing Santander, the midfielder has played five seasons in LaLiga with his boyhood club. He signed with Goa last season and has played 19 matches with a goal and assist to his name, making 1,219 passes - second-highest in the league.
Ahmed Jahouh: No player made more passes in the 2017/18 season than the Moroccan midfielder (1,625 passes - 406 passes more than Bedia). What's more, he was also the only player to make more than 100 tackles (105 to be exact). He played under Lobera in Morocco and was one of the best foreign imports last season.
Carlos Peña: A Spanish left-back who has spent his entire career in Spain (including two seasons in LaLiga with Real Valladolid), the 35-year-old has made over 500 appearances overall and even won the U-19 Euros with Spain back in 2002.
Miguel Palanca: Goa's fourth Spaniard in the squad, the winger has even made a handful of appearances for Real Madrid and Espanyol in LaLiga apart from their B teams. With 51 senior goals in his career, the 30-year-old could prove to be a handful.
*Bruno Pinheiro: The 31-year-old played 10 games in the ISL last season before an injury ended his campaign. Capable of playing as a centre-back or defensive midfielder, he is still under contract but not registered.
#9 Bengaluru FC
Miku: The Venezuelan striker was the highest-paid player in the ISL last season and he proved to be worth every penny with 15 goals, finishing as the Blues' top goalscorer. Another player with tons of experience in Spain, he was also a target for Chinese Super League clubs earlier this year.
Juanan Gonzalez: The Spanish centre-back will be their key defender after John Johnson's departure and will have to lead the back-line. With 29 tackles and 97 clearances last season, the Spaniard helped the Blues finish with the best defensive record last season.
Erik Paartalu: The Australian central midfielder was crucial to not only helping the Blues break up play but also initiating attacks last season. With the ability to slot into the defensive line in a back-three and also score off set-pieces, his all-round play is what Bengaluru will count on.
Albert Serran: With over 250 games' experience in Spain, the UK, and Cyprus, the centre-back was brought on board to replace the outgoing Johnson. The 34-year-old was on trial during the Blues' pre-season tour of Spain and has since signed a one-year contract.
Dimas Delgado: A veteran midfielder who has spent years in Spain and Australia, Delgado was the fulcrum around which the Blues' attack thrived. His passes into the final third helped release the trio up front and he was sorely missed in the final when the Blues lacked that creativity.
Xisco Hernandez: The 29-year-old is technically a winger but can play in an attacking midfield position (where he was played during the AFC Cup). He has a lot of experience in Segunda Division B (Spain's third tier).
Chencho Gyeltshen: Dubbed the 'Bhutanese Ronaldo', Chencho helped Minerva Punjab seal the I-League title last season with 7 goals. Aged only 22, he will be giving none other than Sunil Chhetri competition for a spot on the left wing in Bengaluru's front three.
#10 Chennaiyin FC
Mailson Alves: With Henrique Sereno leaving the club, the captain's armband has now gone to centre-back Alves who was one of the club's standout performers last season. It was the Brazilian's brace that sank Bengaluru in the final and John Gregory will rely on his experience and physicality at the back.
Inigo Calderon: Last season he wasn't sure if he'd return to India for another year. But 36-year-old Calderon is back after his heroics in the final saw him deny the Blues two certain goals with goal-line clearances. With vast experience in Spain and with Brighton, Calderon is a hard defender to beat, especially with Chennai's well-organised side.
Gregory Nelson: The 30-year-old Dutch winger joined the club last season and played 20 matches for one goal and five assists. He was also crucial in defence as he tracked back and made 45 tackles.
Raphael Augusto: Arguably their key player in attack, Augusto has been with the club since 2015, making nearly 50 appearances for the south Indian side. It was his goal in the final that sealed the win for the Marina Machans last season.
Andrea Orlandi: A winger with experience at Swansea City and Barcelona B, the 34-year-old has made nearly 400 senior appearances with 32 goals to his name. He is a central midfielder who is also capable of playing on the wing.
Eli Sabia: The 30-year-old Brazilian centre-back returns to Chennai to replace Sereno. He had played for them back in the 2016 season, making 11 appearances.
Carlos Salom: A Palestine striker that was born and raised in Argentina, he has played in Europe, South America, North America, and Asia. The 31-year-old will find it hard to displace Jeje Lalpekhlua, though, unless Gregory decides to play them together up front.
Also read: Head Coaches of All 10 ISL teams for the 2018/19 Season
